


A Little Bit of Kindness

by AshenStatic



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Backup Plans, Gen, I'll add more as time goes on - Freeform, Jesus someone tell me how to tag, Meaning you don't panic when bad things happen but you still get scared, Switching Jobs, You are well versed in horror
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2018-10-23 22:06:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10728210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshenStatic/pseuds/AshenStatic
Summary: This was it. After listening to all the rumors and tying up loose ends at your former job, you were finally going to prove if the stories about the new Freddy Fazbear's Pizza were true. You were going to willingly take the night shift, after already saving up a large sum of money of course, and see if the animatronics really walked around at night. The parts about them stuffing people into suits when they were caught wasn't very appealing, but you'd grown up watching horror movies and reading scary stories, so whatever this place had in store, you were completely certain you could handle it.After all, how hard can the night shift really be?





	1. Infiltration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You land the job. Congratulations.

            "...I'm sorry..?"

 

            "I said, you've got the job! Congratulations miss ______, and welcome to the Fazbear family! Would it be too much to ask you to start tomorrow night? Short notice, I know, but our last night guard quit after five nights and we really need-"

 

            "No, no, that's perfect! Tomorrow sounds great! Do you mind if I come check out the restaurant a little today? I'd like to get a feel for things, you know?"

 

            "Absolutely! Just ask for Gerald when you get here, and I'll give you a tour. See you soon, ______!"

 

            "Ok, later!" Gerald Fazbear hung up, and you were left there in the silence of your apartment, staring at the phone. A second later, your face broke out in a gigantic grin, and you punched a fist up into the air. _"YES!!"_

            After countless rumors and tall tales, you had gotten increasingly curious about the animatronics at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Seeing yourself as somewhat of a horror veteran, you felt confident in your abilities to stay alive in case the rumors turned out to be true, and had put your plan into motion by saving up money from your previous job. It payed decently, but you absolutely hated dealing with the customers the the grocery store, so it was a blessing when you finally turned in your two weeks notice. Now you had enough money saved to sustain yourself for a month or so with the added salary from the pizzeria, as you'd also heard of the terribly low pay grade. Now that you had landed the job, you could put your plan in motion. First things first, go scope out the building and the animatronics.

            Throwing your book down on the couch, you shot up and ran to grab your shoes, along with a light jacket in case it was cold in there. It didn't take much for you to fix up your hair and face, and before long, you were out in the road, making your way towards the pizzeria. Maybe twelve minutes later, you were parked in the driveway and stepping out of the car. The building loomed above you, a bright and colorful paint job welcoming anyone who wanted to come in. With a smile, you approached the entrance and went in.

            Kids. Lots of kids. And a few disgruntled looking parents, but the entire place held an air of fun and excitement. Just looking around, you could already spot some of the animatronics mixed into the crowds, like a curvy chicken-Chica-serving some pizza to what looked like a party. There was a small humanoid one made to look like a little boy that was handing out balloons, and you could even see a giant prize box at one end of the restaurant. It was all incredibly-

 

            "Hi, and welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza! Are you just a party of one?" A woman had come to the front desk and was currently awaiting your response, a single menu in her hand just in case.

 

            "Actually, I was just hired and I wanted to get a feel for things before I started on Monday. Is Gerald here?" Recognition lit up her eyes as she set the menu down.

 

            "Oh, of course! Right this way, please." With a small nod, you began following the woman deeper into the restaurant. While doing so, you managed to catch a glimpse of the other animatronics, such as a blue rabbit(Bonnie) and a light brown bear(definitely Freddy). They were interacting with the children so well, you actually questioned if the rumors you'd heard were just made up to interfere with the business here, but you quickly brushed the thought away. You were already inside, so there was to be no second guessing yourself. That would get you killed if things were really the way you thought.

            "Alright, let's get your uniform settled first. Which position were you hired for?" While you were watching the animatronics, the woman had led you to a storage closet filled with clothes.

 

            "I, uh-" You tried to act casual, trying not to give away how distracted you had been. "I'm gonna be the new Night Guard." The woman froze, her smile looking a bit strained. In fact, she also looked a bit paler. It didn't take long for you to know why.

 

            "Oh," she replied, fake enthusiasm lacing her voice. "That's a wonderful position. Let me just, uh..." She reached into the closet, only to pause and turn back to you. "What size are you?" You told her your size, and without missing a beat, she reached back into the closet and produced a set of clothes. They looked to consist of a long sleeved blue shirt and a black hat with the word 'Security' sewed on in bold white lettering. Under those, there seemed to be two black garments that sort of blended together, so you couldn't make out what they were. "The uniform comes with either a skirt or a set of pants. Choose whichever you'd like, and I'll lead you to Gerald." With a nod, you picked your preferred clothing and followed the woman as she began walking again. God, you didn't even know her name and she was already feeling sorry for you. What a first impression, huh?

            Surprisingly, it didn't take long to find Gerald. He was in a small office looking area that you could see into from down the hallway. When he turned to see the two of you approaching, the man smiled and gave you a small wave, to which you waved back.

 

            "______, so nice to see you! Thank you for helping her out, Cassidy. Would you mind giving us some privacy? I'd like to give our new family member a tour and explain her job to her." Without hesitation, Cassidy nodded and hastily made her way back to the front desk. Poor girl. If she thought you didn't know what you'd accepted, she was very, very wrong. "So, I see you've already got your uniform!"

 

            "Yeah. Looks pretty nice."

 

            "Well, I'm glad you like it! Now, let me give you the tour." He turned and swept a hand through the air, motioning to the room the two of you were currently in. "This here will be your office. Every night, you'll come here and watch the cameras from 12:00 am to 6:00 am and make sure no one tries to break in or vandalize our property." Gerald motioned you to follow him and started walking down the hall. "You probably saw all of the party rooms on the way here, seeing as they're accessed through this hallway, so I'll just lead you to the back."

 

            "Uh, okay." To be honest, you hadn't even glanced into the rooms before. You had been too busy looking at the animatronics, but Gerald didn't need to know that. Speaking of your new boss, he turned down another hallway where the bathrooms were located and lead you to the door at the very end.

 

            "This is the Parts and Services room. Inside, we have the old models of our current animatronics so we can recycle their parts if needed." What. The fuck. "Would you like to take a look inside?" Before you even responded, Gerald was already pushing the door open and flicking the lights on. Your eyes immediately widened at the sight of the old models, which were clearly in the process of being taken apart, but hadn't been fully dismantled. Chica's mouth was permanently open and she was missing her hands, Foxy looked scruffier than usual, Freddy's head looked like it was barely hanging on, but by far, the worst of all was Bonnie. He was missing an arm and his entire face, the wires in both sections tangled and falling out everywhere.

 

            "I..... Wow, uh...." Gerald gave you a playful smile, not noticing you had paled just a bit,

 

            "Pretty freaky, huh?" You stayed silent, your eyes shifting over each of the models one more time before Gerald shut the lights off and led you outside. "Now come on. We have to introduce you to the Toys." With a final glance backward, you followed your boss again, getting lost in thought as you walked. If the old models didn't fall under the rumors you had heard, it would be easier to just brush off their appearances. However, you weren't entirely sure if they were just machines or... Yikes. Things might be harder than you originally thought. You hadn't even considered the fact that some places keep old models of things for parts. If these animatronics also fell under the rumors, then you had your work cut out for you.

 

            "So," you began, not wanting to psych yourself out by continuing to think. "You said Toys? Is that what the animatronics are called?" Gerald turned into a large room with what appeared to be a small little carousel in the middle. How did the even afford something like that??

 

            "Oh, yes! Just the newer models of the old ones, though." He led you over to see a smaller animatronic that looked eerily like a human boy handing out balloons to various kids. Yeesh, his face. Talk about the uncanny valley. "This here is Balloon Boy, or BB, as everyone calls him. He gives out balloons to children who ask politely and have behaved enough to earn one." Wait, what? How the hell do they tell if- "Oh, BB!" You snapped to attention when Gerald called the robot over, watching in curiosity as he waddled over on his little robot legs. It was....weird. There was no other way to describe it. "This here is ______! She's going to be the new Night Guard here, so play nice, alright?" BB just stared at you. Oh well, he seemed alive enough. Might as well be civil, right?

 

            "Hi there, BB." You smiled an knelt down to his level, holding out a hand. "It's nice to meet you." BB blinked his robotic eyes before grabbing your hand and shaking it.

 

            _"Hi."_ Shit, he could talk?? Was he actually sizing you up, or-

 

            "Aw, he likes you!" Gerald grinned at the exchange, prompting BB to giggle and run off back to the crowd of children. "Hm! That went well." Now he was moving again, making his way towards the stage, where it appeared a show was just ending. You didn't even have time to think about BB as Gerald slipped behind the curtain with you following close behind. There, the two of you found Chica, Bonnie, and Freddy setting down their props from the show. All three heads snapped towards you, completely disregarding Gerald and successfully intimidating you. These animatronics were much scarier up close when one had heard what you had. "And these are they Toys! Toy Bonnie, Toy Chica, and Toy Freddy, to be exact. Go ahead and say hi! They won't hurt you, I promise."

 

            "...." You hesitated only for a moment before remembering something you always condemned in horror movies and games. The future victim either never said hello, or never treated the new characters well when they first met, and you always thought that things would have turned out even just a bit differently if they had done that. You wouldn't make the same mistake.

 

            "Well, go on!" You nodded slightly and approached Toy Freddy, raising a hand in a small wave. The three of them actually waved back instead of just one, and you wondered if they were sizing you up the way BB may have been. On top of that, you felt a bit curious as to how much you could actually find out at the moment before you started your job, so you went out on a limb and asked the question you wanted answered. Even if you got nothing right now, you'd find out later, one way or another.

 

            "...Do they feel?" Gerald paused, caught completely off guard by your question.

 

            "Erm... Feel?" You glanced over you shoulder, curiosity showing as you gazed at your boss.

 

            "Yeah. Happiness, sadness, anger." Now you turned back to the animatronics, your gaze switching between the three as they stared back at you. "..Stuff like that...." Behind you, Gerald paled. Before you could do anything more, he put a hand on your shoulder and pulled you away from the animatronics.

 

            "Ha- W-Well, they act so real that, uh, i-it sometimes feels like they can! B-But, no. They can't." Gerald hastily led you back through the curtain and into the open, taking one last nervous glance at the Toys. They just stared at him. "...Come on, ______." He stepped through the curtain and out of the Toys' sight. "You still have two more animatronics to meet." You said nothing. He was obviously lying, and that just confirmed one of the rumors. That changed things, and if you played your cards right, you could possibly make your nights here easier if any others turned out to be true.

 

            "Hey, so.." You decided to ask one more thing that was bothering you. "If those were Toy Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie, then where's Toy Foxy?" Gerald perked up, his pace slightly increasing as he led you across the auditorium.

 

            "Oh, right this way! Our Toy Foxy model is designed to be female and less scary than the old Foxy, and we put her over here in Kid's Cove. However..." He motioned for you to enter the doorway, and you did just that, only for your jaw to drop at the sight inside. If you thought the old models were bad, Toy Foxy took the cake(or pizza, in this case). You couldn't even recognize the poor animatronic. Her parts were mismatched everywhere and only got worse as younger children continued to take her apart and switch her parts around. "You know how kids just can't keep their hands off of things. She's more of a take-apart-put-back-together attraction now." Before you could respond, Gerald grabbed your arm and pulled you away again, this time heading toward the prize corner you'd seen from earlier.

 

            "Wait, I haven't seen the last one yet!" No response. Instead, you were lead to the giant prize box and handed a special-looking golden ticket to insert into the slot by the counter. "....Do I just..put it in?"

 

            "Yes. You'll see what'll happen." You skeptically raised a brow before shrugging an inserting the ticket. It took a second for anything to happen, but to your surprise, the giant present box broke open and something shot out of the top. It looked like....a puppet. The figure tilted its head at you before lowering its arms out of the 'tadaaa' pose it was in. "...Oh, wow."

 

            "Yup! This is the Puppet! Whenever kids win tickets from our little arcade over there, they just come and insert their tickets, then it pops out and gives them the prize that matches the amount of tickets they earned. Pretty cool, huh?" Gerald stepped forward and the Puppet switched its gaze from you to him, which you were kind of thankful for. The smile on its mask kind of creeped you out. "Puppet, this is ______. She's going to be our new Night Guard, and-"

 

            "Can _this_ one feel? Or is that a no, just like the Toys?" Both heads snapped to you, and for a moment, you wondered if you may have overstepped your boundaries. If you did, Gerald didn't show it, opting to purse his lips instead.

 

            "...No. It only thinks, mainly about which prize children would like." The Puppet turned to stare at him, just as the Toys did, and you only humid in thought. He was lying again, and both you and the Puppet knew it.

 

            "...Well, I'm really hungry. Is it possible for me to eat here real quick before I go?" Another subject change, except you were actually hungry. That, and you had a plan, but nobody needed to know that. Thankfully, Gerald accepted it whole-heartedly, and even smiled at you.

 

            "Of course! One perk of being part of the Fazbear family is free pizza from our kitchen! Come, follow me." He quickly walked away from the prize box, and you hastily followed once more, casting a backwards glance at the Puppet, who was still watching. You paused for only a moment, deciding to wave at the animatronic. It didn't wave back. "Don't fall behind, ______!" Not wanting to be near the creepy Puppet anymore, you jogged away and caught up with Gerald as he stepped through the kitchen doors. There, a few pizzas were displayed on the counter with a piece of paper next to them.

 

            'Employees Only'

 

            "What flavor, and how many slices?" Gerald grabbed a paper plate from the counter the pizzas were on and patiently waited for your answer.

 

            "Oh, uh, pepperoni's fine. Can I get five slices?" A surprised look crossed you boss's face, but he simply shrugged and stacked the slices on the plate, handing it to you a second later. After that, he fished through his pocket for something and pulled out a key, placing it on top of the clothes you were balancing in one of your hands.

 

            "Here you are. Just come in tomorrow before 12:00 am and I'm sure you'll do fine." Gerald stepped around you and walked off, probably uncomfortable with the questions you'd asked. For a moment, you stood there staring after him, taking a second to process things before setting your clothes down on the counter. You were satisfied with this little recon mission and felt a little more prepared for the first shift tomorrow, but there was one more thing you needed to do. It was time to put your mini-plan in motion.

 

\--

 

            The Parts and Services door creaked as you pushed it open and stepped inside. You didn't bother turning the lights on and instead let the light from the hallway guide you into the center of the room, where you paused before speaking.

 

            "Look, uh.... I didn't expect you guys to be back here. I've heard some things, and...I don't know id you're alive or not. But if you are, uh..." You paused again. Before speaking, you set the plate down with four slices of pizza left on it. "....I'm sorry..." With that, you carried your slice out of the room and shut the door, taking a bite as you made your way back to the kitchen. Although you had learned some things that shocked you, this recon mission was a complete success in your eyes. You knew who and(partially) what to expect on your first shift, and even proved one of the rumors true. The pride of a successful mission burned in your chest, alongside the determination to make things end differently.

            The most notable rumor was that Freddy Faber's went through Night Guards like nothing, and that they never came back out. You knew what would likely happen if you weren't prepared as you took another bite, but one thing was for sure.

 

 

            You were _not_ going to let this place get to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair word of warning, I would recommend reading my other FNaF story, The Main Attraction, before reading this one. There are a few things that are referenced from it, and one of the chapters ends on a cliffhanger that you may not understand unless you've read the other story first. Don't worry, it's not TOO too long.
> 
> Oh, and thank you for reading :)


	2. Time with the Toys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first night.

            Things were alright at home. Your apartment wasn't in need of any cleaning or anything, and you had already eaten, so you had opted for taking a shower and such when you got home. There wasn't really much else for you to do except for finish your book and think, considering you still had at least a day until your first shift. The things you had seen already got your thoughts racing, so thinking it was.

            If the older models were alive, they would hopefully appreciate the pizza, and that may be enough to get them to think twice about hurting you. However, all you were able to do for the Toys was say hi. How were you going to win them over as well? Never mind that Puppet. It didn't even wave back to you, and that was a red flag already. You weren't sure how they had things rigged to keep it away, but if you weren't careful, that animatronic could very well take you out before you could do anything else. Oh man, you'd have to think about things.

            It was a good thing you had time to do so.

 

\--

 

            The door shut behind you, and you paused a moment to take everything in. Freddy Fazbear's definitely looked creepier in the dark, but you weren't really effected by the lighting. Instead, you made your way up to the stage, where the Toys were standing watch. They didn't move when you approached, but you felt that would change soon. Either way, you waved in greeting again.

 

            "Hey guys. Just wanted to say hi again and uh, tell you that I'm pretty sure Gerald was lying about what he said yesterday. I'm not sure if you don't like me or anything, but uh... I think you're pretty cool with how well you can interact with kids and all. I'm not very good with them myself, so.... Yeah. See you later." You turned on your heels and hopped of the stage, marching over to your next destination. It didn't take long, and it was only without all the children screaming and cheering that you could hear the strange sounds of radio static echoing in the room. It made you sick to your stomach, as Toy Foxy's voice box was likely permanently broken and making the static interference. You knelt down to the animatronic, a look of pity in your eyes.

            "Hey... I never got a chance to say hello yesterday, but.. I think it's horrible what they've done to you. I would think they'd repair you after each day, but I guess not." You paused, deciding to rest a comforting hand on what looked to be a shoulder. "I'm really sorry. You may be an animatronic, but you shouldn't have to be like this." You lapsed into silence, not sure what else to say. Eventually, you stood and left the room, knowing your time to do everything was running out. There were only seven minutes until midnight, after all.

            With hasty steps, you hurried through the auditorium with the carrousel, quickly patting BB on the head as you passed him.

            "Hey BB." No response, as expected. Regardless, you rushed through the building and into the Parts and Services room. The light from the hallway illuminated the center of the room again, lighting up the plate you had left on the floor earlier. It was empty.

            ".....I'm not gonna ask how.....but I hope you guys enjoyed the pizza." You snatched the plate up and turned back towards the doorway, once again casting a glance at the older models before shutting the door and rushing back to the main hallway. You were about to go straight to the office, but then a wonderful idea popped into your head, and you ran back to BB's room instead, standing in front of the creepy animatronic. "Hey, so everyone got a hello and some other words and stuff, but I only passed by you real quick. So you know what _you_ get that no one else did?" You smiled at the boy and sloooowly reached over, poking his nose. "Boop!" With that, it was time to get ready for the night and finally run to the office. Once you were there, you took a look around the room to get a feel for things. The overly large vents on the sides bothered you, but not as much as the gaping doorway in front of you. There was a high chance that if these animatronics actually came to life, they'd come from the front a lot. Or would they think of that already and come from the vents instead? Oh lord, this was going to be one heck of a job.

 

            _**Ring Ring**_

 

            Why was a phone ringing? Who was calling you at _-wow, look at that-_ twelve a.m.?? You couldn't even find the thing in order to pick it up! Fortunately, the phone seemed to pick itself up somehow. Or maybe it was an answering machine? either way, whoever called was-

 

            _"Uh, hello? Hello, hello?"_ Oh good, it was just an answering machine. The guy on the message began welcoming you to the job, and you haphazardly listened as you picked up the tablet on the table. The cameras were already on and recording, so you finally decided to take a look at those party rooms. They weren't much, really. The paper dolls on the walls were kind of creepy, but they were just rooms with tables. You decided to flick through the other cameras and found the camera focused on the stage. At the same time, the message said something about the facial recognition systems that were built in to the animatronics, and boy was that interesting. They probably already knew your face, right? Or maybe they didn't. Either way, that was cool. They could spot a criminal in a crowd of people.

            Then the _really_ interesting part came. The last night guard had complained about the characters trying to get in the office, and the man on the phone began speaking of a way to keep them out. There was a music box on one of the cameras, and when switching over to the Prize Corner video cam, you immediately connected the dots. You'd have to keep the music box going to keep the Puppet happy.

 

            "Must be a kind of lullaby or something." Another plan began forming in your mind as the man on the phone continued talking. While he spoke, you pulled out your phone and began searching up a specific kind of video on YouTube.

 

            _"You see, there may be a minor glitch in the system, uh.. Something about the robots seeing you as an endoskeleton without its costume on and wanting to stuff you in a suit-"_ What. _"So, hey! We've given you an empty Freddy Fazbear head. Problem solved!"_ Oh, so this was their way of defending you from the animatronics. You guessed that it messed with their facial recognition stuff, so maybe it wasn't too terrible of a solution.

            You picked the head up from its hiding spot beneath the desk and set it down in front of you for quick convenience. Yes, you wanted to try and make friends with the animatronics, but you weren't about to go without a way to protect yourself. You weren't an idiot. And speaking of protection, you had _finally_ found the perfect video on YouTube. It would only last about two hours, but YouTube Repeat would easily fix that in case you had your hands full. Besides, you didn't want to look at the time anyway, as it would just make things go slower. However, the recorded message seemed to be ending, and by the time it was done, you had already lost track of time. Now to just wind the music box, play the video, and make it to 6:00 a.m.

 

            "Alright, let's see what you guys got for me.." The cameras showed nothing at first, and you just went around flicking the flashlight at the various animatronics in their rooms. The creepy ambience would probably scare anyone else, but you were kind of loving it if you were completely honest. Horror was your **forte,** and this was just another game in your eyes. Well, one where you could actually die if you didn't play your cards correctly, but that just made things more interesting, right? Ooh, and maybe you could bring some candy to snack on next time! There was _no way_ you'd go all the way to the kitchen just for some pizza, cause that was _asking_ to be killed.

            Another glance at the cameras revealed something that snapped you to attention. Toy Bonnie was gone. It wasn't too hard to find him in one of the party rooms, but it was still a warning that you'd have to be aware of your surroundings. Flashing the bunny with the light seemed to keep him in place for a few seconds, but you imagined that would hurt his eyes, so you didn't do it for too long. Who cared if they were robots? They definitely had _some_ kind of reaction to your question yesterday, and you certainly didn't want to get on their bad side. It'd be better to play nice.

            Now Toy Chica was gone. She had moved over to the bathroom hallway, but that wasn't the weirdest thing about this situation. Her beak was gone somehow, showing off the teeth of her endoskeleton, but where the hell did she put her beak?? Did she not like keeping it on or what? Though you had to admit, she looked kind of creepy-cute without it, so you were all for her choice of fashion. Besides, you couldn't stare at her forever. The music box needed tending to, and you had to check on Toy Bonnie. However, you found that he wasn't in his previous spot. You had probably been too caught up with your thoughts to hear it, but he had now switched party rooms, and was crouching by an oddly large vent in the wall.

 

            "You've got to be kidding me." They seriously had vents that large that lead directly to your office?? It's like they were trying to kill you! "Bonnie, if you plan on visiting me, you better bring some snacks or something." That was one thing you'd forgotten to pack. Considering how long you'd be staying the night, it would only be smart to bring something to eat. Oh well, that'd just have to be a mental note for next time.

            There was a loud clanking sound, and you immediately knew what it was. Before checking on the vents, you wound up the music box once more(better safe than sorry), and went to look for Chica. She was no longer in the bathroom hallway, but you couldn't find her in any of the party rooms either. You put the tablet down and flashed your light down the central hallway, but there was still nothing. Where the hell did she go?? God, you didn't have time for this! A quick flash of the vent revealed that Bonnie wasn't here just yet, so you checked the cameras once more, only to find nothing. With a groan, you put the tablet down and checked the vent again, nearly jumping in your seat when a pair of green eyes met yours. You didn't hesitate to put the Freddy head on, but what happened next genuinely surprised you. Toy Bonnie crawled out of the vent and actually stood in front of you, looking around the room and completely passing you up. At least, that's what you thought before he settled his gaze directly on you.

 

            _"Hey Freddy?"_ Your eyes widened when the bunny spoke to you, but you knew better than to scream. You'd have to play along if you wanted him to leave.

 

            "Y-Yeah?" The animatronic turned to stare down the hallway.

 

            _"Have you seen the new Night Guard anywhere? I want to ask her a few questions."_

 

            "Uh, no... She's not around here."

 

            _"She's....different. I mean, there's no reason for her to run around outside of her costume, and of course we have to fix that, but that question she asked..."_ Well, nice to know they still planned on killing you.

 

            "Ah, yeah. T-That was....something...." A few seconds passed where the two of you did nothing until a bright flashing light drew your attention to the tablet. There was a yellow 'danger' symbol next to the Prize Corner video feed. Shit. "WELL, UH-" Bonnie was startled at the volume of your voice, but you kept rolling with it, wanting to get him out before winding the box again. "Why don't you go see if Chica's had any luck? You know how she gets around."

 

            _"Oh, right! Thanks, Freddy! Good luck with the search, and let us know if you find the Night Guard, okay?"_ Bonnie ran down the hallway, and you waved as he went away, yelling a goodbye to him.

 

            "W-Will do, hahaha!" You continued waving until he turned and fled into the darkness. The instant he disappeared from sight, you ripped the mask off and hastily switched over to the music box cam, winding it up as fast as possible. It had been off for a few seconds, and you feared what the light would show you, but flashing it revealed only the lid of the giant gift box was open. Nothing was peeking out yet, and you fully intended to keep it that way, regardless of the video you had playing. That Puppet gave you a weird vibe, and it was the only one who didn't wave back at you, so you didn't want to face it until most of the others were on your side.

            Another sweep of the cameras still didn't reveal Chica, but you were finally able to find her with a flash of light down the main hallway. She stared at you with an unnerving smile, a cupcake on a platter she held in her hand.

 

            _"Hey there, Night Guard."_ You pursed your lips, not sure how to respond. She clearly knew it was you, and you weren't sure if the Freddy head would work, but before you could think more, she spoke again. _"I saw you get a lot of pizza from the kitchen yesterday. Five whole slices. But I only saw you eat one. What's up with that, huh?"_

 

            "Um.. I gave the rest to the older models." Nothing wrong with telling the truth, right?

 

            _"Yeah, that's what they tell me."_ Oh. So that's where she was. _"Why, though? They're old and falling apart. They're nothing in the eyes of management."_ You paused, not really sure if this was a trap or not. However, you were still going to stick by your strategy of telling the truth, as you knew lying would only get you in more trouble.

 

            "I...thought they would like it." You paused to gather your thoughts before continuing. "They might not be as good as you and the others are, but that doesn't mean they're any less because of it. I'm assuming you guys have thoughts and feelings, and if I'm right, then that means the other models may have them too. Why should I treat them worse than you guys simply because they're old and obsolete?" Silence. The two of you stared at each other before you blurted out one more thing. "You look cute without your beak." Chica tilted her head.

 

            _"Huh. Thanks."_ She turned away and stalked off into the darkness, leaving you very confused. You sat there for a moment more before winding the music box and checking in the back room. There she was, standing in the middle of the room. If the older models were talking to her, they didn't move or anything, and you hoped that Chica wasn't saying anything bad about you.

             A clanking sound. Bonnie was in the vents. Oh well, you'd worry about the chicken later. Time passed, and at some point, the video you had playing ended. YouTube Repeat began playing it again, and you were left balancing Chica and Bonnie for about an hour or so. Chica would occasionally come through the left vent, but she never actually came into the room, unlike Bonnie, who would ask about you every now and then. You never reported any sign of yourself, and he had been a bit confused every time, but brushed it off. Every now and then, you'd wind the music box in order to keep the Puppet pacified, and before you knew it, it was about 5:00 a.m.

 

            "Alright, alright, one more hour. Then I can get myself something to eat." Your stomach grumbled. "Mmmm, maybe some breakfast tacos from Torchy's. That would be fucking amazi-"

 

            _"Ah-ah! Watch your language, young lady!"_ You jumped, genuinely surprised, and flicked the light down the hallway. There, standing in the middle of the darkness and perpetually smiling, was Toy Freddy. _"This is a family friendly establishment!"_ You paled a bit, honestly not expecting the bear to show up, considering he had been on the stage the entire night. However, you kept your cool and responded as calmly as possible.

 

            "I-I'm sorry. I'm just really hungry since I forgot to bring snacks." Freddy crossed his arms and shook his head disapprovingly.

 

            _"That is still no reason for such foul language. But! Since you apologized so nicely, I'll forgive you."_

 

            "Oh, uh.. Thank you, Freddy." You stare at him for just a second longer before switching over to the Prize Corner counter and winding the music box again.

 

            _" However."_ Your head shot up, and you immediately flashed the light again. Freddy had stepped closer, leaning slightly into the doorway. He wasn't in the room just yet, but it was enough to make you severely uncomfortable. Just in case, you pulled the mask closer to you on the table.

 

            "...However, what?"

 

            _"You're out of your costume, Night Guard. Don't you know that's against the rules?"_ Although you had the light shining on him, that didn't stop the bear from moving. He hurriedly stepped into the room and reached a hand towards you, his eyes flickering to a terrifying black. _" I'll just have to fix that-"_ Without missing a beat, you shoved the mask on and sat still, holding your breath. Freddy stopped just short of grabbing you, and his eyes flickered for a moment before returning to normal. _"...Freddy? Wha- I though you were in Parts and Services! How did you get past me? And where did the Night Guard go??"_ You shrugged, playing along seamlessly.

 

            "I have no idea. She was just here, but now she's gone." Freddy looked this way and that, completely perplexed that he couldn't find you. "Maybe she ran into one of the party rooms? You know how people can hide under the tables."

 

            _"Good idea, Freddy. I'll let you know if I find her, then we can give her a piece of our minds."_ The animatronic turned away and went off into the darkness again, finally leaving you alone. You waited a few seconds more to be sure before taking off the Freddy head and tending to the music box, your heart still pounding in your ears. That was the closest call this night, and it was only your first shift. Things would get complicated, and you'd have to be extra careful unless you wanted to end up stuffed in a suit. A chill went down your spine at that thought. You didn't like the sound of it.

 

            _**Ding Dong Bing Bong**_

 

_**Yaaaaaaaaaay!** _

 

            Oh look, 6:00 a.m. You let out a sigh, glad to have made it in one piece. Turning off the video, you stood from the seat and made your way back trough the building, giving BB a little head pat on your way out. You were able to stand and walk just fine, but there was a bad feeling in your stomach from how close death had potentially come to claiming you. But one thing was for sure, you'd adapt and make it out of here alive.

 

            You would leave this place with your head held high and a smile on your face.

 

            You'd just have to up your game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toy Chica is not a bitch, let me just make that clear. She really cares for the withered animatronics.


	3. New Friends to the Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go digging for info and meet some helpful people.

            A lovely warm shower was waiting for you when you got home, and although nothing too terrible happened during the night, the hot water still wiped away some stress in your shoulders. You had to admit, even though the Toys were pretty cute and happy looking, they could be very frightening when they wanted to be. God help you if the old models didn't like your pizza offering.

            On another note, you really wanted to do something for Toy Foxy, but you didn't know any mechanics, and you knew absolutely nothing about machinery. You didn't know how to make friends with that one, and it worried you a lot more than the Toys and older models did. So much, in fact, that the only animatronic you worried about more was that Puppet. Those two were the strangest ones there, and you honestly did not know what you could do about them. The only thing you could think to do was make friends with everyone else and hope they backed you up if those two ever came for you. Yikes.

           You went to sleep relatively quickly once you were home, but had decided to sacrifice a few hours of the afternoon to go through the pizzeria again. Judging by Cassidy's reaction when you told her what job you'd gotten, she likely knew the animatronics were alive. Gerald did as well, but he seemed to want to avoid talking about it. Depending on who the day shift consisted of, some of the other employees may know about the night shift as well, and might even know some things that the animatronics like or don't like, so your best bet at getting some info on the robots was the group of day shift workers and Cassidy. If they couldn't help you, then you'd have to be on higher alert, and if push came to shove, you'd quit the job, but only if you _absolutely_ had to in order to save yourself. Yeah, you wanted to prove the rumors were true, and now you had, and since you already had the job, you might as well stick around for a bit, right? But you weren't going to stay if things got dodgy. You knew exactly what you'd put up with before you'd draw the line to keep your sanity and your life. You just needed some info to keep this thing running as long as possible. It shouldn't be too hard to get.

 

\--

 

            The pizzeria looked almost exactly the same as yesterday, just with a lot less kids and parents. Maybe it was a slower day today? You knew not everyone wanted to do stuff on Tuesdays, but that didn't really matter right now. It actually made your job easier, so it was a bonus. Now you just had to find someone to-

 

            "______?" Cassidy was once again working at the front counter, and had noticed you come in. Now she was looking at you as if she had seen a ghost. "Y-You're still... Still-"

 

            "Alive?" You smiled at her and leaned on the counter. "Yup. Still breathing. I'll take it you know about the special secret here at Freddy's?" Cassidy gulped before flicking her eyes around in order to make sure nobody was listening. Once she was done, she nodded and put a hand on top of yours to make sure you were real.

 

            "You're so... So... _Calm_ about this.."

 

            "I'm a complete horror nerd. I think I know my way around a standard horror movie situation like last night. Speaking of which, I'm here to raise my chances of surviving even higher. Is there anything you can tell me about the animatronics? I mean, if they have a preference for a certain kind of pizza, favorite music, stuff like that." Cassidy's eyes lit up in recognition at your question.

 

            "Oh! I-I try to stay away from the animatronics after what I've heard. I don't know anything, but I _do_ know someone who might." The woman stepped out from behind the counter and beckoned you to follow as she began walking into the main auditorium. The two of you scooted around the few tables with kids sitting at them until you'd reached another employee singing happy birthday to a child. Chica was singing with the group and sounded genuinely happy, but the song soon ended, and the chicken turned around to walk away, only to stop when she spotted you.

 

            _"Well hi there, ______! Nice to see you!"_ Not sure if she was acting or not, you simply waved and smiled.

 

            "Nice to see you too, Chica. I guess I'll see you during tonight's shift?"

 

            _"Yup! See you tonight!"_ The chicken walked back towards the stage, probably to go behind the curtain, leaving you with Cassidy and the other employee. You...couldn't really tell if they were a boy or girl, not even as they turned and saw you. Their hair cut was at a length that could work for both a guy or a girl, and their bodily features didn't really give you any hints as to what their gender was.

 

            "Well, look who we have here! Is this the new Night Guard I see before me?" .....Who actually talked like that?

 

            "Yeah, it is. Erin, this is ______. ______, this is Erin. they're the closest to the animatronics and can tell you more about them than I can, so I'll just leave you to it, okay?" You nodded in response, and Cassidy strode back to the front desk. Erin smiled at you and beckoned you to follow them as they began heading to the back office. This left you confused since it looked like there was only Cassidy left in the front to take care of orders. Wasn't that going to be a problem?

 

            "Hey, not to be rude or anything, but don't you have a job to do?  I mean, Cassidy's the only one left, right? I don't think she can take orders and seat people all at the same time by herself." Erin waved a hand haphazardly as they continued walking.

 

            "There's another employee here, but he's waiting an order in the kitchen. Scott is his name. He can take care of things."

 

            "Oh. Okay." The two of you stepped into the office, and Erin leaned against the desk, casting you another smile. They seemed like a pretty easygoing person, so that kind of helped you relax as you started thinking of things to ask.

 

            "So. What questions do you have for me, my dear nocturnal friend?" You raised a brow at the nickname, but brushed it off.

 

            "Alright, I think we both know the animatronics are alive." Erin nodded. "Now, I want to get them all on my side instead of trying to kill me. I've left a couple of pizza slices in the back for the older models since I felt bad for them-"

 

            "That's good."

 

            "-but I want to figure out how to make friends with the Toys and stuff. Do you have any idea what they like? I've complimented Chica about her beak, but I'm kind of at a loss with Bonnie, Freddy, and a couple of the others." The entire time, Erin was nodding as they listened, mentally ticking off what you'd already done.

 

            "You've come to the right place, ______. I'm actually quite the fan of animatronics and have since made friends with them myself, considering I work the day shift rather than the night. Chica is very observant. Has she asked you about the pizza you left for the old models?" You nodded. "Then you've already won her over. She has a soft spot for the ones in parts and services, and that compliment has only made things better between you two. The older models may be wary of you at first, especially considering your random act of kindness, but if you continue to treat them well, they will be kind to you in return and even protect you from the others if need be. Though, I would watch out for the old Foxy. He's more inclined to think you a liar than the others."

 

            "Alright. Speaking of Foxy, what about Toy Foxy? I'd like to fix him- her- them, but I don't know any mechanics or anything, so I'm not sure what to do about them."

 

            "Reassure her. She is quite unsure of her appearance, just as many people are, and is seeking acceptance wherever she can get it. Do not judge her and treat her like the others, then she will begin to trust you. Ask about her likes and dislikes, what she likes to be called, and just respect her. That's the key to gain her favor. She and Foxy are quite fond of BB as well, so do not disrespect him. Not many in the pizzeria like him, so he seeks the same acceptance as Toy Foxy. Treat him well, and along with Toy Foxy, the two will come around. The older model will follow soon enough."

 

            "Okay, now what about Bonnie and Freddy? Bonnie was looking for me last night, saying he wanted to ask me some questions, but I-"

 

            "Answer them." You paused.

 

            "...What?"

 

            "Answer his questions. Bonnie is quite the curious bunny, and along with Chica, will be the easiest to win over. As long as you show a genuine interest in being friends with him, he will be kind with you. He prefers not to partake in the...consequences..a Night Guard faces for being caught, but peer pressure forces him to do it. Show him he does not have to, and he will come around. Freddy is a stickler for rules, so he will be a bit more difficult. He is quite the fan of electro swing music though, and loves to dance. Perhaps that may help."

 

            "Alright, cool. That just leaves the Puppet." Erin stayed silent for a moment, the smile on their face falling a bit. ".....Erin?"

 

            "...That one is...difficult. It barely likes _me_ , and I have worked here for years, so it clearly does not like you." At this point, your smile fell too. Seems like that thing was just difficult all around. "However... It does watch over and defend the other animatronics as if they were it's children. It's very protective of them, along with the normal children that come in everyday, so perhaps a hint lies there? It is also very fond of the music box we have placed next to its box. It becomes irritable without it at night, as I'm sure you've been told. Other than that, I believe it will only take time for the Puppet to begin trusting you."

 

            "Oh. I...think I can do that." You paused again, thinking of any other questions you had before realizing that was everything you needed and smiling at Erin again. "Alright, I think that's everything. Thanks for the help, Erin." You held out a hand for them to shake, but they shied away from it, an apologetic look on their face.

 

            "I do not like being touched." You quickly apologized and withdrew your hand, but Erin continued to smile. "That's alright, ______. I wish you luck in your endeavor to befriend our animatronics. Farewell, my friend." You sighed in relief before smiling again, glad to have not offended your new buddy.

 

            "Thank you..... I think I'm gonna need it."

 

\--

 

            You settled into the office chair, readying the same video from last night on your phone while eating a free slice of pizza you'd nabbed earlier in the day. After talking with Erin, you'd left a few more slices in the back for the older models and booped BB's nose again when passing by him, even tossing another wave at the Puppet before you left. It still didn't wave back. That was okay. You had new info that you'd want to try out tonight, so you weren't offended.

            The clock struck twelve, and you settled the Freddy head on the desk again just in case, ready for the animatronics to come after you as the answering machine rang again and picked itself up. The same man from the night before spoke through the speaker, telling you he knew you'd make it through. You tried not to tune him out as you wound up the music box and peeked through the cameras at the Toys, but he really caught your attention when he mentioned the old Foxy. Something about how he was always twitchy. The Freddy head wouldn't work on him, making you curse under your breath, but it was said that flashing light in his eyes would keep him at bay. You just hoped it would work. The message ended, and you wound up the music box again before checking on the Toys. Chica was still on stage, and when she noticed the light coming from the camera, she actually turned and waved.

 

            "Oh, hi!" You waved as well, not caring that she couldn't see you, before noticing that Bonnie was nowhere to be found. A quick search through the cameras showed him in one of the party rooms, but a sudden bout of laughter sounded through the hallways, making you pause. Was there a kid in the pizzeria? How did they get past the other employees?? "Good god, I hope they're okay." You flicked through the cameras, winding the music box again and desperately searching for the hidden child. It wasn't until you passed by a certain camera that you realized something was wrong. BB was missing from his spot. "You've _got_ to be kidding me.." He was nowhere to be found. You took note that Bonnie had switched party rooms, but you were concerned with finding BB before he snuck up on you. Unfortunately, a shuffling sound from the hallway in front of you caught your attention, and you set the tablet down on the desk, grabbing your flashlight. "What the hell- _OH, HI._ " There, standing in the same place as Freddy had last night, was the older model of Foxy, his eyes reflecting the light you were flashing in an eerily creepy way. "Uh.... How's it going there, buddy?"

 

            _"Shut yer trap, ye bleedin' bilge rat!! I ain't falling' fer yer evil tricks!!"_ Your brows flew up in surprise at the level of hostility Foxy held towards you. Erin wasn't kidding when they said he was untrusting. _"And stop flashin' that infernal light in me eyes!!"_

 

            "Only if you don't charge at me." The animatronic groaned before lowering his hook. You took that as a sign to turn your flashlight off and let the hallway go dark, hearing another shuffling sound. A few seconds later, your light revealed that Foxy was gone, but you weren't expecting to hear BB's laughter in the vent to your left. With a quick check on the music box, you switched the screen over to the left vent and were met with the bright eyes of BB staring at the camera. Before you could even start complaining, another clanking sound came from the right, and you just _knew_ Bonnie was in the vent as well. With a heavy sigh, you pulled the Freddy head close and waited. Checking on the music box every few seconds, you only had to wait maybe a minute before Bonnie began crawling through the vent and into the office. You didn't put the mask on, but held it close in case things went wrong as the bunny stood and turned towards you. He took a step forward, reaching a hand towards you before you held a hand up to stop him. Surprisingly, he did.

            "Look. You and I both know that stuffing me in a suit won't make either of us feel good, so...I think you had some questions for me?" A moment of silence passed before Bonnie let his hand fall to his side.

 

            _"Why are you being nice to the older models?"_

 

            "I feel bad for them. If you guys are alive, then they probably are too. They deserve attention. Just ask Chica."

 

            _"Hm. Are you really not good with kids?"_ You nodded in confirmation, making Bonnie tilt his head in interest. _"And....you think we're pretty cool?"_

 

            "Dude, you're a walking, talking robot with the capacity to feel and think independent thoughts. If that's not cool, I don't know what is." Another moment of silence. Just when you thought Bonnie was going to speak again, a clanking noise came from the left, and BB came crawling out of the vent before you had time to put the Freddy mask on. He clearly saw you, as he was staring right at you, but then began staring at your flashlight. A few times, he glanced back to you before looking at the flashlight again, and you and Bonnie could only watch and wonder just what he was thinking. Seconds passed before BB approached you and suddenly jumped up, one of his round hands brushing against your nose.

 

            _"Boop!"_ The animatronic then ran down the main hallway, giggling the entire time. Bonnie stared after him for a moment, then turned back to you, ears twitching in confusion.

 

            _"When did BB start liking you??"_ You blinked owlishly at the bunny before answering.

 

            "Uh- I said hi and shook his hand when we first met. He's also the only one whose nose I've booped, so I guess he feels special? I don't know. It just seems like people don't like him, so I'm giving him a chance." You fidgeted with the mask in your hands, hoping Bonnie was coming around. "I, uh, don't really want you guys to kill me. I actually want to be...friends.." You gave Bonnie a hopeful look and were surprised to find him with a very excited face as he put both hands over his mouth in shock.

 

            _"Really???"_ You hesitated a bit before nodding, making the bunny gasp. _"Oh my gosh, this is fantastic!! I've got to tell the others!!!"_ Bonnie ran out of the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts for a moment before you remembered something important. The music box needed to be winded. The tablet had been flashing with a red light in warning, and you quickly flashed your light to see where the Puppet was as you wound up the box. Thankfully, it had't gotten out of the box just yet, only having gotten it's head poking out of the box. It stared at the camera with empty eyes and you involuntarily shivered before switching cameras. BB was back in his spot, and he actually waved at the camera in the same manner as Chica. Once again, you smiled and waved, not caring if he couldn't see you. So far, this night had turned out pretty okay. It seemed like you were doing better than expected, so maybe things wouldn't be so bad now.

 

            Only one way to find out.

 

\--

 

            The rest of the night passed pretty uneventfully. Bonnie never bothered you again, staying on stage with Chica while Freddy was isolated from them, staring at the camera the entire time. BB came by every now and then to say hi, and Foxy continued to call you names from down the hallway. Six a.m. came pretty quickly, and you yawned as you stretched your legs from sitting down all night. With a light smile, you began making your way down the hallway, glad to have made some progress with the animatronics. If things kept going this well, then maybe you'd have a few friends to talk to during your shifts. That would be nice. You could play hide and seek with BB every now and then as well, make some pizza with Chica, and see if the Puppet would-

            Your thoughts were cut short when something sharp looped around your neck, a cold, metallic arm turning you swiftly around to face your attacker. It was Foxy, hatred and contempt clearly visible in his eyes.

 

            _" Now I've got ye!! Start talking', ye scalawag!!"_ Your eyes widened in fear and shock, and for the first time in the two nights you'd worked, you didn't know how to get yourself out of this situation.

 

            "W-What?"

 

            _"I don't believe th' whole friendship thing yer tryin' t' sell me! Tell me what yer really here for or I'll gut ye like the scoundrel ye are!!"_ Your mind raced as you tried to come up with something, but you honestly didn't think lying would be a good idea. However, it seemed like telling the truth wouldn't help either, but it was the only thing you could try. Hopefully something would pop up and you'd be able to get away.

 

            "B-But, that's all I'm trying to-" Foxy pressed his hook into your neck a little harder, and you thought you felt a small sharp pain in the spot he was pressing it to.

 

            _" Lies!! Yer a lyin' rat just like-"_

 

            _"HEY!"_ Foxy sharply turned towards the voice, looking about ready to attack someone, when a bright light was flashed in his eyes. He screeched in surprise and shielded his face before deciding it wasn't worth it and running in the direction of the spare parts room. You stood frozen in place, sufficiently scared out of your mind before the light turned off and someone laid a hand on your shoulder. "Are you alright?" Still in slight shock, you turned towards your savior, who only served to further shock you. He was in a uniform of his own, but besides that, he was very....odd. You couldn't find the words to say anything, and he took that as his cue to continue. "Man, am I glad I wasn't late like yesterday, otherwise Foxy probably would have killed you." He paused, probably waiting for you to say something. Luckily, you'd finally found a set of words to say that would propel the conversation forward.

 

            "...You're very...colorful.." The other employee chuckled and smiled.

 

            "Yup, that's usually the first thing people notice about me. So, I'm going to assume you're the new Night Guard, considering how Foxy tried to rip you apart just now. What's your name?" You blinked, still a bit dumbfounded, before finally sticking out a hand in greeting.

 

            "I-I'm, uh, ______. Thanks for saving me." The man nodded, one of his hands meeting your own in a handshake.

 

            "That's okay. We were bound to meet anyway."

 

            "So... Who are _you?_ " The employee's smile grew into a full blown grin.

 

 

 

 

            "My name is Seff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaa, Erin! They're an adorable cinnamon roll that I just love so much! They're also one of.....three(?) genderless characters in this story. Don't worry, things will make sense later.
> 
> Also, hello there Seff :)


	4. Don't Wither Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You have a few words for the older models before your shift starts.

          "What the hell kind of name is that?" Seff's grin faltered.

 

            "My...mom was part Hebrew. So that's what she named me."

 

            "And you're completely purple. Like, everywhere." He frowned.

 

            "I-"

 

            _"Everywhere."_ Seff paused, making sure you were done talking before he continued.

 

            "...It's a skin condition. I don't bother remembering the name, but I've had it forever." The man crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow. "Are you always this rude to people you first meet?"

 

            "Only when I'm still recovering from the shock of almost being killed."

 

            "....Fair enough." Seff laid a comforting hand on your back and gave it a pat. "Luckily, I used to be in the exact same position you're in. Come on, I'll walk you out." He began to gently lead you across the room, noting the dazed look still in your eyes as he brought you closer to the doors. As the two of you passed the Prize Corner, he couldn't help noticing the two hollow eyes staring at him from the giant prize box, thankful you were still too out of it to notice. The Puppet continued to watch him, even as he opened the door for you like a gentleman.

            "Be more careful next time, okay? And if you ever need any help or whatever, I open every day." You lightly nodded, trying to focus enough to get to your car, and mumbled a 'thank you' as you made your way to the vehicle. Once you had gotten in, Seff shut the door and turned back around, the Puppet's gaze ever watching.

 

            He smiled at it, knowing exactly what it was thinking.

 

\--

 

            It took time for you to be able to drive home safely, but when you had gotten there, you had passed out on your bed, not even bothering to change out of your work clothes. Probably not the best idea, especially considering how your neck hurt from not being able to move too much due to the hat on your head, but you weren't in too much pain when you had woken up. Just a little sore.

            You took a little longer in the shower than usual, thinking on what had happened with Foxy. Seff was right. Without him, you wouldn't be standing in the bathroom right now. He saved your life. You'd have to do somethin to show your appreciation, but that was a thought for later. It'd be better to have something you could defend yourself with when you were _off_ the job, rather than just the Freddy head while you were working. This time, you'd carry a flashlight with you to work. It was lucky that your dad had given you a pocket sized flashlight a couple Christmases ago, and it was pretty bright, so that was certain to keep Foxy at bay. Toy Foxy was one of your bigger concerns since you had only spoken to her once. She knew nothing about you, and vice versa, meaning she could easily come from anywhere in the pizzeria to kill you and not feel bad in the slightest. You'd have to find something _special_ for her, and an idea soon came to you. However, it involved going over to the prize corner before your shift started. Hopefully the Puppet wouldn't mind too much. Heck, maybe you'd even talk to the old models beforehand, just to try and win some brownie points. Last night had scared reality back into you, leaving a knot in the pit of your stomach that never truly went away, even after you'd calmed down. Foxy had reminded you just how close to death you really were while working at this job, and you had let yourself become overconfident with your knowledge of horror movies and games. Big mistake. Every time someone let their guard down too early, they always ended up getting killed. Had Seff not come when he did, you would have suffered the same fate, and now you felt you owed him something because of it. You'd think about that later though. For now, you had to think up a speech for the older models since it seemed like they may also become active.

            Seff had saved you once, and for that, you were very grateful. Now your guard was back up, and you were really going to be prepared for tonight.

 

            You'd make sure you never needed saving again.

 

\--

 

            The doors shut loudly behind you, making the silence that followed incredibly loud and overbearing. You reminded yourself to breath before hesitantly making your way over to the prize counter, where the music box was lightly playing a song. Was that 'My Grandfather's Clock'? Not a bad choice, but it probably got a little repetitive. Regardless, you thought it was a nice song, and it wasn't that hard to imagine someone being cranky due to their music being stopped. That wasn't what you were going to do. Instead, you knocked on the top of the present box, clearing your throat before speaking.

 

            "U-Um..." Jeez, how could you say this? "..I'm....gonna take the bow off of one of these presents. If you don't mind, I mean..." No response. Taking that as your cue to go, you picked up a small box off the ground and found that the bows on top were just glued on, the ribbons wrapping around the box having been drawn on instead. All the better. That would make what you'd be using it for even easier.

            You set the box back down and stood up, only to have your heart leap into your throat. "JESUS CHRIST-" The Puppet was peeking out of it's box, glowing white eyes behind it's mask staring directly at you. Nothing else was visible, just the eyes, but that made the situation even creepier. How the hell had this thing been so quiet?? "...Uh....." You held up the bow. "....I'm gonna give this to Toy Foxy....." The two of you stared at each other for one moment more before the Puppet sloooowly sank back into it's box, the lid closing with a barely audible clunk. You released a breath you didn't know you were holding and took a moment to just breath normally, honestly just glad you hadn't been killed. It took a few seconds for you to calm down, but soon you began walking towards Kid's Cove, the static from the room becoming more audible the closer you got. It wasn't so hard to approach the animatronic, but you didn't know where to place the bow on the fox. You hummed in thought before deciding to place it right under one of Toy Foxy's ears, the glue making sure the bow stuck well enough to not fall. You gave the animatronic a soft smile, once again feeling bad about her fate before giving her a scratch behind her other ear.

            "Hey. Just remember that you're always beautiful to someone, okay?" With a sigh, you stood back up and started towards the back of the pizzeria. It didn't take long to reach the parts and services room, booping BB's nose along the way, but now you stood in the doorway of the room with that uncomfortable knot still in your stomach. You reminded yourself that even after the pizza and this talk, the animatronics could still very well kill you, and that you couldn't let down your guard until every last one of them was on your side. With that, you took a deep breath and spoke.

            "....I'm gonna be honest here. You guys scare me. I let myself think that you were _maybe_ my friends, but... I guess I was wrong. I'm just trying to be nice to everyone. See, when I was younger, I had a friend. His name was Hunter. He wasn't the smartest or the most popular kid. He wasn't all there in the head, but when you got to know him, he was pretty fun to talk with and be around. Now, uh... Not everyone saw this, as you can imagine. No on wanted to talk to him. They thought he was weird. Abnormal. Some people didn't think he deserved to be around, but Hunter rolled with the punches and stayed anyway. This group of doucheba- uh, jerks tried everything they could to get rid of him. They tried beating him up, but I'd always be around to defend him and grab a teacher if I needed to. When they spread rumors about him, he didn't try to hide and blend into the crowds. Instead, he held his head high and walked past everyone who whispered about him with me still by his side. No matter what they tried, these bullies couldn't get to him." You cleared your throat and shuffled your feet, recalling the memories from years ago.

            "Then one day... One of them managed to lure me away from him. The others took Hunter...somewhere else... They hurt him. Really badly. He, uh... He had to go to the hospital, and they almost didn't get in trouble for it. No one would stand up and say who did it since hunter wasn't awake yet. If I hadn't been there the whole time these guys were bullying and spreading rumors about him, Hunter would have-" You paused, reminding yourself to breath. "...I was able to step up and tell the cops who may have done it, and the groups of bullies was expelled. When Hunter woke up and I gave him the news, he... He started crying. He was just so glad it was over, and..." You swallowed, trying to get the lump out of your throat. "He told me if I hadn't been his friend and stuck by him the entire time..... He would have killed himself." With another pause, you took a moment to just breath some more. continuing when you felt well enough again. "Because I decided to show a little bit of kindness, I managed to save someone's life. That's why I'm trying to be nice to you guys. I know that not everyone deserves kindness, but I'd at least like to try. If I get hurt, then it's my fault, but I believe I'm prepared enough to save myself if being nice ends up backfiring. Hunter was different, and for that, everyone but me had treated him unfairly. I don't want to be the same as them. You may just be animatronics, but I know you can feel and think. You count as people in my eyes.... And I'm going to treat you like I would anyone else. With kindness." A moment of silence followed as you let your words sink in and tried to calm down from remembering the bad memory from high school. If this speech didn't work, then..... God help you.

 

            **_Ding Dong Bing Bong_**

 

            Your eyes widened in horror. _"SHIT!"_ Without even closing the door, you bolted from the room and made a mad dash for the office before anyone could move. You'd lost track of the time and hadn't been able to get back in time before the clock struck twelve, and now you were rushing to get to your desk while hoping no one had left their place. Thankfully, you had made it just as the answering machine clicked and began playing the message left on it. Something about the Toy Foxy model, but you were one half listening as you quickly searched for the video on your phone and hit play, picking up the tablet afterwards and flicking through the cameras. Nothing.

            A sigh of relief. Tonight was all about being more careful, and you'd already screwed it up. Thank whatever higher powers exist that no one had caught you before you got to the office. Now you just had to survive the night. Piece of cake, right?

 

\--

 

            "Nononononononononononono-" You were flipping out. Tonight, BB and the Toys were staying in their places, but you discovered that your hunch about the old models was right. They had begun moving around the building, but had yet to try and get into your office, with the exception of Foxy. However, that wasn't what you were concerned with right now. Toy Foxy(mangle, as the guy on the phone had said) was busy crawling on the ceiling in BB's part of the auditorium, the red bow contrasting brightly against the darkness of the room. You were't really sure why you thought the bow would work, but she seemed to _really_ want to reach you. At some point, she had crawled through the vents and nearly gotten into your office, but the Freddy head had worked on her as well. You weren't going to lie, Mangle was creepy as all hell, and you didn't want to figure out if she liked you or not just yet. At least, not like this.

            A clanking sound got your attention as you finished winding up the music box, and you flipped to the left vent camera, only for your heart to stop. Bonnie's faceless gaze met yours through the camera, and you squeaked in surprise before putting the tablet down and breathing again. This wasn't how people survived horror situations. They stayed alive by keeping a level head and thinking, and that's what you'd have to do if you wanted to make it out of here. The guy on the phone said the flashlight glitch had carried over to the older models, so you flickered the light in the vent for a few seconds before checking on the parts and services room. Freddy and Chica were gone, leaving Foxy standing alone in the middle of the room. After that was making sure the music box was full, then finding Mangle in the bathroom hallway. Deciding you had enough time before something happened, you searched through the cameras to try and find the remaining animatronics. Chica was hanging out in one of the party rooms with her arms spread wide like she wanted a hug. The thought made you giggle slightly before flipping through more cameras in search of Freddy.

            The tablet was suddenly ripped from your hands, and without missing a beat, you shoved the Freddy head on, wide eyes looking up to see who was inside. Bonnie stared down at you for a moment as the lights above flickered before reaching his good hand over and patting the top of your head.

 

            _"..y͝͠ ̶͞҉U͢͠͠͏x̷̸̨̛͠ ̨̛̕X̧̢̧̕ ̢͏̡E̷̢͠͝...."_ You sat stock still, not knowing what the hell he just said. Thankfully, Bonnie left through the central hallway and allowed you to take the mask off. However, you decided to wait a few moments to make sure he was gone before taking it off and shining the light down the hallway.

 

            "OH GOD-" You shoved the mask back on as Freddy stepped into the room, just as his Toy counterpart had the first night. Freddy stood tall, looking around before settling his gaze on you. His face shifted into something that looked like a smile.

 

            _"Why, hello there, Freddy. You haven't seen the Night Guard around here, have you? Of course you have."_ He put both elbows on the desk and leaned on it, using a hand to prop his head up as if he was bored. _"Though, I'm willing to bet she's disappeared again. That girl is a strange one, she is. You wouldn't believe what she told us before her shift started."_ A pause. This was the most one of them had said to you besides Foxy's threats. Why wasn't he going away?? _"I have to say, it was quite an interesting story..."_  You felt your heart beating a thousand miles an hour as the animatronic bear mimicked a bored yawn and simply stared at you, making the seconds drag on into minutes. Then he said something that caused your eyes to widen.

            _"I know it's you, Night Guard. I'm not stupid."_ You stood from your chair, starting to back up before Freddy grabbed one of your arms. Strangely enough, he wasn't rough with his grip at all. _"Now hold on, I'm not planning to hurt you."_ This made you pause. Taking that as his cue to continue, Freddy let go of your arm and stood normally again. _"Tell me, Night Guard. Are you truly willing to risk your own life to try and make each of us feel better? For something so small as that?"_ You stared for a moment before replying.

 

            ".....It's not such a small thing to _some_ people....." Freddy tilted his head, interested at your answer.

 

            _"An example would be that friend of yours, wouldn't it?"_ You nodded. _"I see. That was very commendable of you."_

 

            "T-Thank you.."

 

            _"Is that also why you would show kindness to those who do not return it?"_ Another nod. _"....You're playing a dangerous game, Night Guard. But, you've been doing well thus far, so I suppose it wouldn't hurt to humor you and try something new."_ You hesitantly took the mask off, staring at Freddy in wonder.

 

            "...Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

 

            _"I don't know. What do you think I'm saying?"_

 

            "That....you're not going to stuff me in a suit and would like to try being friends?" You gave the bear a hopeful smile, but it was still clear that you were nervous as hell and on your guard. Thankfully, Freddy gave you a nod.

 

            _"If that is what you'd like, then sure. Bonnie is quite taken with you, so I doubt he'd let anyone hurt you. I believe he's already stopped by, yes?"_

 

            "Uh...yeah...."

 

            _"And Chica, although not on the best of moods right now, looks forward to having another girl to talk to other than Mangle and her Toy counterpart."_ You set the Freddy head on the counter, starting to relax just a little bit, but still held on to your flashlight just in case.

 

            "I can kind of relate to that." The bear nodded in approval.

 

            _"Good. Then the only one of us that still needs to come around is Foxy."_ Jeez, you felt more stressed just _thinking_ about that guy. _"He has some questions for you, just as Toy Bonnie likely did yesterday. The other two and I have come up with a plan to keep him from harming you while he asks."_ You furrowed your brows when Freddy suddenly stopped and didn't continue.

 

            "...Okay... What's the plan?" A couple seconds passed in more silence before a little tune began playing from the hallway. Was that 'Pop Goes the Weasel'? Who was- Your eyes widened in realization as you dropped the flashlight and snatched the tablet up, immediately going to the prize corner feed and hoping your hunch was wrong. The light flashed through the camera, and you felt your blood turn to ice at the sight you saw.

 

            The Puppet was gone.

 

 _"It's been a pleasure distracting you, ______."_ You glanced up in fear to see Freddy had moved out of the way of the giant entrance to the hall, something akin to a smile visible on his face.

 

            "You got to be kidding m-" Before you could finish your sentence, something black leaped out at you from the hallway and successfully tackled you to the ground. You hit the ground and pain blossomed in the back of your head as it smacked the tile, slightly disorienting you, but you managed to keep your eyes open, only to freeze immediately.

            The Puppet had you pinned to the ground, the lights of its eyes boring a hole into you as it raised a clawed hand up to slash at you, and it was only then that you shut your eyes tight, not wanting to see the thing that would be the death of you. However, the pain never came. Moments passed by as you still kept your eyes shut, but eventually you cracked one open to see the Puppet had turned its head to stare at your phone, and you finally remembered the video you had playing from YouTube.

 

            A two hour music box collection.

 

          That was right! You had set it up and left it on repeat for this exact situation, and _thank God_ you had done that! The Puppet continued to stare, slowly lowering its hand until it came to rest on your stomach. You didn't dare move for fear of pissing this thing off even further, but watched in awe as the lights of its eyes went out and it made a noise that sounded like a yawn. Then the animatronic(?) glanced down at you.

 

            ** _"....Clever...."_** With another yawn, the Puppet did something that nearly sent you into panic again. It laid it's head down on your chest and actually went to sleep. This thing. Went to sleep. _On top of you._

 

            " _Nooooooo_ ," you whispered in horror. With an extremely uncomfortable grimace, you began to shift and try to get the Puppet off of you, but Freddy let out a soft laugh.

 

            _"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It's very sensitive to sound and movement. If you move too much or become too loud, it's going to wake up again and pick up where it left off."_ You lifted your head up to glare at the bear as you heard Bonnie star crawling into the office from the left vent.

 

            "Let me guess. Chica's going to get Foxy and bring him here." Freddy nodded.

 

            _"It's an ingenious plan, really. Foxy cannot hurt you, and you can't run away, so I suggest you get comfortable, ______. We have you right where we want you."_ With that, you heaved a heavy sigh and rested your head on the tile again. You felt so incredibly stupid for falling for a trick like that, but Freddy was right about one thing. There was nowhere to go, and no way to run. You were completely at their mercy.

            Damn.

 

          These animatronics were _smart._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just an FYI, this story was originally planned to be a Puppet X Reader, but that idea was scrapped when I found I wanted to develop friendships with all the other animatronics. That being the case, there are gonna be some undertones of that original story just because, and the scene above is one of them (because people actually think a deadly puppet falling asleep on you is cute somehow??).
> 
> And Withered Freddy is much smarter than he lets on :)


	5. Twenty Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone get this Puppet off of you.
> 
> Please?

            Okay, okay, just calm down. _Breath_. Don't flip your shit and start screaming insults because that'll just make things worse. Don't focus on the thing right on top of you, just relax and don't scream. _Don't scream._ Take a deep breath and-

 

            "..That was really well played, but _god damn it, Freddy._ " That was better. Instead of screaming, you managed to keep your voice low and worked in an angry instead. However, this only made Freddy chuckle, while Bonnie preferred to stay silent instead.

 

            _"That's no way to speak to a new friend, now is it?"_ You would have groaned, but settled for a sour look, not wanting to wake up the sleeping Puppet. _"Don't look so angry, ______. This is the best we could do under such short notice. Would you rather us take the risk of Foxy killing you at the drop of a hat?"_ You scowled. Freddy had a point.

 

            "Well, you could have at least warned me." For a half second, the bear hesitated.

 

            _"And ruin the surprise? Come on, ______. What kind of bear do you think I am?"_ Had it not risked waking the Puppet, you would have groaned. This conversation was going nowhere.

 

            "......So," You began, a defeated look on your face. Might as well make small talk while you were waiting for Foxy. "You can see right through the mask."

 

            _"Of course I can. It's my own head after all, not Toy Freddy's. He likely gets confused and sees me instead of you, but I cannot see myself in your place. I only see you."_

 

            "Ah. That makes sense." Then you remembered the strange head-pat Bonnie had given you earlier. "Wait, what about Bonnie?" Said animatronic shifted, his red eyes pointed in your direction. God, that was creepy. Without his face, you couldn't tell what Bonnie was feeling, and that made you extremely uncomfortable.

 

            _"His facial scanners don't completely work. I'm sure you can guess why. Scanning human faces poses no problem, but when it comes to us, he simply stores an image of our faces in his memory and relies on small details to tell the mask apart from me."_

 

            "....Oh." A glance at Bonnie. "You're very observant. Good job." As the rabbit nodded in thanks, you paused for a moment, letting the information soak in before another question came to mind. "How did he lose his fa-"

 

            _"We're here!"_ Oh god.

 

            _"Now where be that Night Guard??"_ You could hear the fox stomping into the room. He was just about to pass the desk you were hidden behind. _"When I see her, I'm goin' t' rip her throat ou-"_ Foxy paused, having finally noticed your predicament. Freddy simple leaned back against the wall, something close to a smug look on his face.

 

            _"By all means, go ahead."_ Nothing. In the near silence, the video on your phone paused for a good four seconds before looping around and starting over from the beginning. The Puppet grumbled a bit and shifted slightly, nuzzling its head into your chest as it continued to sleep. Jesus, if this thing weren't so terrifying, you would have thought that action was adorable.  _"...Well? What are you waiting for? Go on and attack."_ You switched your gaze from the Puppet to Foxy, who was eying you and the animatronic on that kept you on the ground. After another moment, he narrowed his eyes at Freddy.

 

            _"Yer th' bane o' my existence."_

 

_"Love you too, captain."_

 

 _"C'mon, Foxy! You said you wanted to know some stuff about ______, right?"_ The fox sighed, glaring at Chica like a child who was forced to share their favorite toy with someone they didn't like.

 

            _"Fine, fine, keep yer bloomers on. 'S not like there be anythin' else t' do 'round here."_ Foxy looked back to you, still looking pretty upset. _"So, Night Guard. Yer name be ______?"_

 

            "Uh..." God, this guy legitimately scared you. Your heart was already starting to pound just being in Foxy's vicinity. "Yeah."

 

            _"A'right. Now what's yer angle, ______? Why were ye tellin' us all that personal crap 'bout that friend o' yers?"_

 

            "I-I uh, I wanted you guys to know the reason why I'm being so nice. You know, so... I could prove that I don't have an angle." Foxy growled, leaning down close to you in order to intimidate you, and holy hell, it was working. Even with this Puppet indirectly protecting you, Foxy was terrifying up close, especially after what he pulled last night.

 

 _" Everyone has an angle, lass. 'S just a matter o' which way yer headed."_ You squinted in confusion. How did that make any sense at all?

 

            "Uh..." 

 

        _"I know yer questionin' it!"_

 

            "No, no, I-"

 

            _"Quit yer lyin' or I'll gut ye, regardless o' that thing on top o' ye!!"_ When Foxy raised his hook, you froze. There was no way you were getting away this time, and if he started attacking and woke up the Puppet, who knows what would happen. God, this whole situation was terrifying, and you could practically feel your heart beating out of your chest. The Puppet shifted again, making an annoyed noise in it's sleep as if something was interrupting it's nap. Foxy had been fairly quiet, even with all the threats, nobody else was making any noise, and you hadn't moved an inch, so what was bothering it?? Oh god, this thing was going to wake up if you couldn't figure it out. _What the hell could it possibly be?!?_

 

            _"Calm down, ______. Foxy would never be so bold to attack with the risk of the Puppet attacking him in return."_ You gave Freddy a confused look before realizing what he was trying to do. While there was music playing in the background, you also forgot something else that could also act as a lullaby. That was your heartbeat.

 

            "You've got to be _kidding_ me.." Was this thing a fricking child? It was like a baby or something that needed a lullaby just to sleep! God, for something so terrifying, this Puppet had a pretty big weakness.

            With a few deep breaths, you began to calm down, and so did the Puppet, which once again snuggled into you. Foxy was just looking between you and Freddy, wondering what the hell was going on, but you interrupted his thoughts once you had finally calmed down enough. "..Look, Foxy. I'm just trying to be nice. You guys seem like you could use a new friend, and that's honestly all I'm trying to do." The fox glared at you and opened his mouth to speak, but- "If you don't believe me, go ask BB. He'll vouch for me. We're cool." That shut the animatronic up. For a moment everything was quiet until captain narrowed his eyes at you and strode out of the room, leaving you with three animatronics and a sleeping Puppet. Freddy clapped his hands together.

 

            _"Well, this seems to be going well!"_ Everyone turned to stare at the bear, and even the Puppet grumbled a bit. How it knew Freddy had said something stupid, you didn't know, but Chica thankfully spoke before you managed to start throwing insults.

 

            _"This was a good idea and all, Freddy, but I still think we could have been a little nicer to ______ about the whole thing. Couldn't we have at least told her to watch her head?"_ Bonnie nodded and made a noise of agreement, but all you could do was look on in spite as Freddy paused to think for a moment.

 

            _"....Hm..... Yes, I suppose that would have been better."_ The bear turned to you and took his hat off, placing it on his chest and bowing a little. _"______, I am deeply sorry for causing you unnecessary trouble, and I should have given you fair warning ahead of time before putting this plan in action. Can you ever forgive me?"_ The three animatronics waited for your answer as you simply stared at them. That was a dick move Freddy had pulled, but god damn, if that wasn't an honest apology, then you didn't know what was. Besides, weren't you trying to make friends with these guys? What kind of friend wouldn't forgive someone over something that didn't really kill you and was actually keeping you safe?

 

            "Ah, sure," you shrugged to the best of your ability. "Why not?" Freddy stood straight and readjusted his hat, giving you what looked to be a smile.

 

            _"Thank you, my friend."_ Aww. How about that? You smiled back at the bear, and oddly enough, the Puppet sighed as if sensing the problem had been resolved.

 

            "You're cool too, buddy. You may hate me now, but that's okay." Seeing as you were in a better mood, you lifted a hand and lightly patted the animatronic on the back, still smiling. The Puppet flinched, it's mask somehow scrunching up in discomfort, and you smile immediately fell.

 

            _"Don't do that. It doesn't like being touched by those it's not friendly with."_

 

            "Jesus Christ." With an exasperated sigh, you let your hand fall back to your side and stared up at the ceiling again. This already seemed like a long night, and you didn't know how much longer it would last. At this point, you just wanted to go and eat some food while watching your favorite show on the television. Oh, wait! You were actually pretty hungry! Yikes, what would happen if your stomach started growli- Whoops, too late. It seems like it didn't bother the Puppet too much, but it still didn't find the sound pleasant and shifted a bit. You glanced at the animatronics, one of which was trying to hold back a small laugh. Damn it, Bonnie.

 

            _"Oh, are you hungry?"_ Wow, was Chica actually going to get you something? To your understanding, Chica was the food-themed one among the main trio, with Bonnie being music and Freddy being......Freddy. You nodded at the chicken, honestly wondering what Freddy's role was besides just being the leader. _"Okay, awesome! I'm gonna go get the other me, and we'll make you a pizza, okay??"_ With that, Chica bounded out of the room, excitement practically radiating off of her. You didn't question it because one, free food; two Chica honestly seemed so happy that she could do something and that was probably because it got boring in this building; three, free food. What's not to like?

            Then Foxy had to ruin the nice moment by walking back into the room. He looked very frustrated and confused as he (quietly)stomped over to you.

 

            _"How in th' hell did ye even get that boy t' like ye??"_ You blinked in confusion. Did people not get along with BB that much? Yikes, no wonder he warmed up to you immediately.

 

            "Well, I treated him with respect like any other person. He's also a _kid._  Kids need friends, and it seemed like not many people like him. Gerald didn't even like him, I don't think. Unless I'm remembering incorrectly. I don't know. I'm hungry." As if making a point, you stomach growled again, and everyone glanced at the Puppet. It shifted once more, but stayed asleep, and everyone but Foxy let out a sigh of relief. It seemed like nobody wanted that thing awake, which you found a little odd. Didn't they get along with the Puppet? It was one of them, right? Unless....was it _that_ creepy to the point that _nobody_ wanted anything to do with it? Not even the animatronics? Man, that was going to be a problem. It tolerated Erin, but didn't necessarily like them, it didn't seem like it got along with Gerald, Cassidy didn't like it, and even the other animatronics found it creepy. Seff probably didn't like it either, based on how he said he had to be prepared in case any of them attacked. This thing was just...... Ouch. It's gonna be pretty hard to win it over.

 

            _"Why did ye take this job in th' first place?"_ Oh, right. Foxy's questions.

 

            "I wanted to see if the rumors about living animatronics were true, and to see why a lot of Night Guards seem to disappear after picking up a job here. I have plenty of money saved up from my previous job, and I like to think I'm pretty well versed in horror games and stuff, so I thought I could make it." You took a glance around the room at the animatronics. "I'd say I'm doing pretty well, regardless of this thing on top of me." Now the animatronics exchanged glances, Freddy looking slightly impressed, while Foxy still looking put-off. You couldn't tell what Bonnie was feeling.

 

            _"Let me get this straight. You risked your own life to check the validity of a few rumors you heard, and have actually been planning things through this entire time?"_

 

            "Well, I winged some of it, but yeah, pretty much. That's why I always keep that Freddy head close, why I now carry a flashlight whenever I come here, and why I have that video playing on my phone."

 

            _"...Wow. That's very brave, ______. Especially when you know your life is in danger."_ You did your best to shrug, given your current position. Foxy looked a bit more frustrated and opened his mouth to say something, but.....

 

            "...Foxy? You okay?" The captain paused, looking like he was going to say something again, but he had nothing to say. Instead, the frustrated fox began stomping out of the room, pausing when he walked by the desk. He glanced from the desk over to you a couple times, and it was then that you realized what he was thinking. "No. Foxy, no. Don't-" He raised an arm. "Nonono, _don't you_ _dare-_ " The captain paused the video on your phone and hastily exited the room, leaving you alone with the other animatronics. You glanced down at the Puppet and saw its eyes crack open a bit, but remembering Freddy's bit of advice from earlier, you stayed calm. Nobody said a word as the Puppet blinked a couple of times before shutting its eyes and snuggling back into your chest, probably listening to your heart beat again. _Thank god._

            This time, Bonnie was the one who sighed in relief, even though it was glitchy and oddly distorted.

 

            _"...I deeply apologize for that. Foxy does not like to be proven wrong."_ With a small sigh of your own, you rested your head back on the tile.

 

            "I can see that." Things got quiet, meaning you finally had some time to think, which was really good for a situation like yours. It was by pure luck that your heartbeat also counted as a lullaby, and you could not be thankful enough for that, but it still proved that Foxy was a sore loser. Just because he was wrong about you doesn't mean that he won't attack you, so you'd have to stay on your guard. The toys were still kind of iffy, as you hadn't talked to all of them a second time, but Toy Bonnie seemed pretty cool. Hopefully he had spread the word of your attempts to be nice to everyone, and Toy Chica and Freddy were starting to rethink attacking. The older models seemed really chill, save for Foxy, and BB had already given up on....whatever he did to attack Night Guards. The only two you had to worry about (besides Foxy) were Mangle and the Puppet. You'd just have to wait and see if Mangle liked the bow you gave her, but the Puppet would have to be a whole trial and error deal. It didn't seem to mind you giving away one of the bows on the presents, but it really hated not having something to sleep to. So, music or any kind of lullaby was a must, and gifts were...okay?

 

            God, this was going to be confusing.

 

\--

 

            Time passed, and the two Chicas had eventually come with your pizza (pepperoni because they didn't know your favorite topping). It was kind of embarrassing to eat, considering they essentially had to feed you since your movement would have woken the Puppet, but you made it through the awkward situation. The video on your phone repeated once more, and you passed the time with the animatronics by telling them about how high school was and how Hunter was now wanting to be an art therapist since art always helped him express things he otherwise wouldn't be able to. The two of you kept in touch, and the animatronics were glad to hear he was doing well. Eventually, the bell rang, signaling the end of your shift. The animatronics, mainly Freddy, were very surprised and rushed back to their spots, leaving you on the ground with no way of getting up. You wanted to ask why they couldn't just help you up, but there was no one to ask, so you were stuck in that spot until someone came to help you. Then Seff walked in.

 

            "........What the fuck." You gave him a withering look.

 

            "Just get this thing off me." His eyes widened in surprise and he took a step back, looking significantly more nervous than before.

 

            "Um-.....Well, you see, I can't really, uh-........" The man in purple stared a bit before pulling out his phone and calling someone. There was silence as the two of you waited for the phone to be answered. "...Hey Scott, I-" A pause. "Look, it doesn't matter how I got your number, I just need- ......Okay, let me stop you right there. This isn't about you or me or Erin. This is about our new Night Guard, ______. ................What? No, I didn't do anything to her! Why would you think I-" Seff paused again, beginning to look frustrated. "Damn it man, _just fucking listen to me!_ I came in to open the place as usual, but ______ needs help, and _I don't want to have to move this thing by myself!"_ The Puppet shifted a little as Seff raised his voice, so you made a shushing noise towards him. He gave you another nervous look and mouthed an apology. "That Puppet thing. It got out of it's box last night and- ...God damn it, no, she's not dead. It fell asleep on top of her." Pause. "....No, there's no music playing. I don't know how she's still alive, but I really don't want to move this thing. It doesn't like me. .........Well no shit, but it seems to hate _me_ more than everyone else, so get your ass over here and help me!" Another pause, followed by Seff quietly hissing into the phone. _"SCOTT, STOP BEING A BITCH."_ Yelling on the other side of the phone. " _Then fucking call Erin!_ Right now, I could use all the help I can get because I swear to you, the moment I lay a _finger_ on that thing, it's going to fucking _claw my face off!_ " More silence. After a moment, Seff sighed. " _Finally._ Just get over here." The purple man hung up.

 

            "....You swear an awful lot for a guy who works at a kid friendly establishment." Seff crossed his arms, looking a little pissed off.

 

            "Yeah, well, when you've worked here for a few years and all the animatronics want to do is hurt or kill you, you start to build up a ton of hatred towards them. That has to come out somehow, otherwise you can go berserk or some shit, so I break that 'no swearing' rule. It's kind of fun if you get into it. Sometimes I try to see if I can come up with some utterly ridiculous stuff, and it's pretty funny." You raised a brow. Did this guy really hate working here that much? If that was the case, then why the heck did he stay?

 

            "I bet Toy Freddy must hate that." Now it was Seff's turn to raise a brow.

 

            "Did he get after you for the whole language thing too?"

 

            "Yeah. I had to use the Freddy head to get him to leave." This made the man smile.

 

            "Hah! Oh man, that must've been something. It's pretty scary to see those animatronics up close when they're trying to kill you." The two of your fell silent. You didn't really know how to react to that, and you weren't sure about telling Seff how you were slowly becoming friends with the animatronics because it seemed like he really hated them. If you told him about your mission, he'd probably.....do......something. God, you knew nothing about this guy. You'd have to talk to him later on and just get to know him, even though he seemed a little stand-offish. Plus, he saved your life, so why shouldn't you try to be friends? It'd also be nice to make friends with the other employees as well, although maybe you were being a little optimistic. After all, the previous Night Guards had disappeared from here, likely due to the animatronics, but you didn't even know why they did...what they did. There was obviously more going on than you were aware of, but if you played your cards right, you should be able to figure things out and make it out alive as well.

 

            But for now, you'd just have to wait for help to arrive. Laying on a tile floor wasn't exactly the comfiest thing ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nobody likes Seff. Well....maybe Gerald likes him for how hard he works.
> 
> But other than that, the other employees don't like him.


	6. Rescue Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin comes to help you.

        "So," you began. "You used to be in my position." Seff was leaning against the desk, arms crossed as he stared down at you, occasionally eyeing the Puppet with wary eyes.

 

        "Yeah. The animatronics didn't like me very much, even more so than everyone else who's worked here. I'm guessing you know what happens if they get their hands on you, right?" You involuntarily shivered, knowing exactly what he was talking about. While you were well versed in horror, you weren't used to your life being in any actual danger, so this was one of the things that immediately got to you instead of simply creeping you out.

 

        "I have a general idea.." Seff let out a small, humorless laugh.

 

        "Sorry about that. A lot of people think it's just Scott screwing around with them, but that guy takes everything pretty seriously. He'll laugh at jokes, but he hardly ever cracks them himself." A small huff. "Fucking stick in the mud, if you ask me." Silence followed, and you glanced once more at the Puppet.

 

        "Hey.. What's this thing's story? How did it get here?" Seff shrugged, an indifferent look on his face. Actually, it was more of an unreadable expression than anything. Weird.

 

        "I don't know. It was here before I was, and it wasn't really all that intimidating. Just creepy." He sighed, looking off in a random direction so you couldn't see his face. "Then one day it...changed. Started watching and thinking, judging everyone. The kids didn't notice, but everyone else did, and it's just really unsettling." That made you furrow your brows in confusion. It used to be less creepy? What the hell happened? Obviously something else was going on here, and if Seff didn't know what, you doubted that anyone else would. That, or the rest of the restaurant is hiding something else, and they just aren't saying. Either way, this was something else for you to ask the animatronics later, and you were likely going to avoid bringing the topic up in front of this thing on top of you.

 

        "...Okay.... What about the rest of the animatronics? Did something like that happen too?" Nothing, at least for a few seconds. Then Seff turned to you with a look of contemplation, realizing something he probably hadn't seen before.

 

        "Actually...yeah. A little bit after that Puppet thing started acting different, more and more animatronics 'came to life', I guess you could say, and started attacking the first Night Guard, which just so happened to be yours truly. Hah! Imagine my surprise when all the animatronics suddenly started trying to get into the office." The man in purple looked kind of put off. Yikes, he really hated these animatronics, didn't he? Maybe it was best you didn't tell him what you've been doing. You can just report everything to Erin, since they seemed to understand what you were trying to accomplish.

 

        "Bro, it's like there's a conspiracy here or something." Seff stared at you blankly.

 

        "...You think?"

 

        "Heck yeah. Why else would all the animatronics start acting weird at the same time? Plus, they haven't gotten any better, right? Something else is definitely at play here, but I don't even have an idea of what it could be. I'm the horror type, not the detective type." Seff opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by voices coming from the hallway.

 

        "______! ______, please tell me you're unharmed!" You smiled, instantly recognizing who it was. Erin had come to help you! Ah man, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Nothing like friends saving each other from potential death, right?

        There was another voice that quickly shushed Erin and spoke so quietly, you couldn't make out what it said. It sounded like a guy, judging by the tone, but it was oddly high pitched for a guy. Why did it sound familiar? Before you could start theorizing, a familiar face poked their head in, looking significantly worried until they spotted you alive and well. A relieved smile crossed Erin's face as they rushed over to your side and sat down.

 

        "You nearly scared me right to death, ______! I though you had been attacked and mutilated, but I'm glad to see you're well." You gave them a blank stare for a moment. While you were happy they had showed up, there was still the fact that the Puppet was still keeping you on the ground, and Erin simply passed it off like nothing.

 

        "...You're not gonna comment about this at all?" They continued to smile, but flicked their eyes over to Seff, who was currently talking to another employee(probably Scott), before looking back at you. This gave you the feeling that Erin wasn't comfortable speaking about certain things while he was around. Although you didn't understand why, you weren't going to ask. That would be for another time.

 

        " _Man_ , am I glad to see you. It's nice knowing that the people in the room aren't going to kill me." Erin's smile grew just a bit, but they finally glanced at the Puppet.

 

        "Never fear, my friend. Scott and I plan on freeing you from this troublesome predicament." At the mention of his name, Scott looked over and locked eyes with you. He paled a bit as he saw what kept you from moving, but gave you a small smile anyway, trying to be polite.

 

        "Uh, hello! My name is Scott. I'm, uh, the guy that's been leaving you all those messages at night!" He paused for a moment, his smile falling as he realized something. "Actually, those are just prerecorded, so a few might be out of date.. B-But, um, I hope they've been helping you!" The guy looked a bit nervous, but he seemed nice enough. Plus, his messages had actually been keeping you alive, so you couldn't help but like him already. With a friendly smile, you lifted one of your hands and smiled.

 

        "Hey, I'm ______. It's nice to meet the guy that inadvertently saved my life multiple times." Your kind words made him relax a little, and he actually gave you a genuine smile, to which you smiled back. Seeing the two of you get along pretty well already, Erin smiled as well and turned to face their friend.

 

        "Scott, would you be a dear and wind the music box? We will need it when I remove the Puppet from ______." He didn't have to be told twice and left before you could even open your mouth to speak.

 

        "How-"

 

        " _WELL_ , I'll take that as my cue to go! Gotta open up the place, sooo..." Seff darted out of the room even faster than Scott did, making you wonder just how scary this thing could be. Perhaps you didn't want to know. Instead of thinking about it, you turned your gaze back to Erin, who staring down the Puppet with slight unease.

 

        "...Do you just pick it up, or..?" The other employee flicked their eyes over to you, giving you a small reassuring smile. While the thought was appreciated, it didn't really work, but you knew Erin was only trying to keep you calm.

 

        "Essentially, yes. Though, I wish to warn you ahead of time: it may wake up. Considering I've befriended it's brethren and you are trying to do the same, there is a high chance that it will not attack, but that is exactly why I've asked Scott to begin the music from the Prize Counter." You nodded as Erin spoke, trying to ignore the butterflies that suddenly seemed to live in your stomach. The thought of this thing waking up didn't sit well with you, especially after it had try to claw your face off earlier in the night. Not only that, but it was sheer dumb luck that had saved you when Foxy had turned your phone off, and if you ever saw that fox alone, you definitely wanted to gripe at him for it.

 

        "Isn't there a better way to get this thing off? And didn't you say you didn't like being touched?" Erin gave you a sympathetic look, completely understanding what you felt, but shook their head slowly. "....Well, shit." Releasing a sigh, all you could do was lay your head back on the tile and brace yourself. "....Okay.. I'm ready." With your confirmation, Erin lifted their hands and slooowly slid them underneath the Puppet, trying to avoid touching you in an inappropriate manner(thanks, Erin). For the first few seconds, it didn't stir, and the employee took the chance to gently lift it off of you. The instant it left the ground, however, the animatronic began to grumble in its sleep. Erin acted fast, cradling the thing in their arms as they stood up and rushed into the hallway. You hopped up as well, wobbling a bit as the blood rushed down from your head, but managed to recover quickly enough to follow after your friend. Erin had said the Puppet didn't _hate_ them, but it wasn't exactly their friend either, so naturally, you were worried for them. Luckily, you were able to catch up quickly, as Erin wasn't full-on running in order to not jostle the animatronic in their arms, but a quick glance at it showed that it's eyes were already cracking open.

 

        "Would you open its box for me, please??" Erin spoke quickly and quietly, and they didn't have to ask you twice. You ran ahead to the Prize Corner, where Scott was busy winding up the music box. He glanced at you for only a moment before you hastily opened the giant gift box by the counter and looked back to see where Erin was. From what you could see, they were almost to their destination, when the Puppet's eyes fully snapped open. Time stopped, as well as Erin when the animatronic looked directly up at them, and you and Scott could only watch in stunned horror at what it might do to them. Surprisingly, it simply stared for a moment before narrowing its eyes and swiftly pushing itself out of Erin's arms. The three of you were silent as it sauntered over to its box and climbed in, giving you all a suspicious glare before closing the top with one of its hands. Silence followed, or at least _near_ silence did, considering the music box was still playing. Perhaps that was why the Puppet hadn't attacked? And it looks like Erin had a similar idea, judging by the look the two of you just shared.

        With one more glance at the Prize Corner, you heaved a sigh of relief. That was just _way_ too stressful.

 

        "You guys good? Everyone alright?" Scott and Erin nodded slowly, still a bit shaken from the recent happening, and you couldn't really blame them. After all, you had only been working here for a few days, while those two had been here for probably way longer. Who knows what kind of things they had seen that Puppet do to people.

 

        "...I deeply apologize for indirectly frightening you that way, ______. However, I am also glad that you are no longer confined to that spot on the hard tile floor, and at least no one was hurt." Erin flashed a small smile at you, to which you flashed one in return. Honestly, you were really grateful that your friend had come over to save you, and you would never be able to thank them enough.

 

        "Nah, its fine. Thanks for helping me." Now you turned your attention to Scott, who had been silently fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Poor guy. He probably felt really awkward and out of place, though you couldn't imagine why. The least you could do was make him feel more welcome. "And thank you too, Scott. It was probably that music box that kept us safe from that thing. If you hadn't wound it up, I don't know _what_ would've happened." For a moment, Scott looked mildly surprised at your words, but gave you a grateful smile, his frame looking a little less awkward now. He seemed like a really nice guy, and you were happy that he was feeling better now. Plus, this was a new opportunity to make another friend. Why not go ahead and take it?

        "So, you're the guy who's been leaving me those messages at night?" The man nodded, a bit of his ginger hair falling in his eyes.

 

        "Well, they've already been prerecorded a long time ago, but, um, you know.. They're still useful. I think." You let out a small giggle, and Erin joined you at your side.

 

        "Bro, if it weren't for your messages, I probably wouldn't be here!  _You_ were the one who gave me the idea to play a music box collection on my phone in case that thing got out of its box!  _I'd_ say they're still pretty useful." These compliments made Scott blush just a little bit, and he actually began fiddling with his hands and avoided your gaze. It was kind of cute, really.

 

        "Oh, w-well, I-I, uh, I..." T-Thank you, __-______..."

 

        "Thats adorable~!" The three of you turned towards the stage, the sudden voice catching everyone off guard. You weren't able to identify which of the animatronics had said it, but Erin and Scott seemed to know who it was. Scott blushed even more and tried to hide his face in his hands while Erin simply smiled.

 

        "Why, thank you, Bon Bon. Scott needs focus know that he is appreciate in this line of work we're in." This made you smile. Looks like Toy Bonnie might be on your side after all. Cool.

 

        "Alright, guys." You yawned and stretched your arms, which were still a little sore after being stuck on the ground for so long. "I think I'm gonna go home and sleep. I'm pretty tired, and that pizza the two Chicas made me probably just made me even sleepier." With a smile, you turned and gave the toy chicken a thumbs-up. "Thanks again for that!" When you turned back to your friends, both Erin and Scott were staring at you in mild shock. Oh, right. They didn't really know what had happened during the night.

 

        "Those two, um... They, uh, actually made you pizza?"

 

        "Yeah. I got hungry, and my stomach would have woken up the Puppet if they hadn't now offered me some food. I really owe them for their help." The other employees shared a knowing look before smiling back at you, making you raise a brow in confusion. What was going on with these two? ".....What??"

 

        "My friend, you are making _excellent_ progress with the animatronics! The two Chicas just _love_ cooking for people, and I'm sure they were glad to help you!"

 

        "Oh.. Wow, really? That's cool. I mean, it was _really_ good pizza. Not _nearly_ as greasy as that stuff they serve the kids here." The others simply continued to smile, and you let out a small laugh at their enthusiasm. These twice were just ridiculous. "Heh. Okay, okay, I get it. That was a really good thing, okay? Now, can I go home? I'm getting pretty tired."

 

        "Oh, of course! I sincerely apologize for taking your time, ______. Get some nice rest, alright?" You and Erin exchanged smiles, seeing as they didn't like being touched. However, Scott extended a hand for you to shake, and you took it with a smile as well.

 

        "Um, it was, uh, really nice to meet you, ______. I'm really happy Freddy's had a Night Guard that's, uh, as kind and fearless as you. You're gonna do _great_ here, I just know it."

 

        "Thanks, Scott. It's really nice to meet the guy behind the phone." With a nod, the man let go of your hand, and the three of you headed towards the front doors. Regardless of the mean trick Freddy had pulled once you tonight, you weren't really that mad anymore. The incident had actually let you win over more of the animatronics, andnit even let you make a new friend out of Scott. You were surprised at how nice everyone really was here, given the number of disappearances you'd heard about, but you weren't about to take that for granted. If you continued on like this, you might even make friends with all-whoops, most-of the animatronics by the end of the week! With any luck, things would turn out well, and your life would no longer be in danger. All you had to do was keep going. Piece of cake.

 

        ...However.. You weren't aware of the eyes that had been watching you. The Puppet had peeked out of its box once all the attention was off it, staying awake trough the music box's melody through sheer willpower. It seemed that the animatronics were warming up to you rather quickly, and what was even stranger was the fact that you were treating everyone with actual kindness. It was easy to see how the others became your friends so easily, but the Puppet was not convinced. There were too many people in the world that feigned kindness, only to turn right around and hurt those that trusted them. No, you couldn't be trusted. At least, not yet. You had to be tested to prove that your kindness was genuine and that you weren't simply lying like so many others had before.

        The Puppet did what it did best. It began to think. You seemed to be very caring towards everyone, even the withered animatronics in the back room, but that could all be a facade. There had to be a way to see if you were lying to everyone...

 

        Ah, yes. Of course.

 

        The truth of someone's personality often came out when faced with a threat on their life. That was the key. The Puppet just had to make you believe you were about to die, and if you proved to be selfish in that moment, it would kill you and be done with all this silliness. But there was the matter of how it would pull this off. There was no way it couldn't do the entire thing by itself. It needed help. Help from someone you would believe could still kill you without a moments notice. Someone like....the Mangle.

                With a quick glance to see if Seff was nearby, the Puppet crawled out from its box and stayed low to the ground, quickly making its way over to Kid's Cove. It saw the little bow that you had put on top of Mangle's head and paused. Only a select few had tried to make Mangle feel better about her appearance. It would be incredibly cruel if you to have lied to her, and this only fueled the Puppet's desire to know the truth. With that, it slowly approached the corne she sat in.

 

        "My friend, I need your help.." That was all it took for the Mangle to turn her heads towards it. The Puppet rarely asked for help, so this must be something serious, and it _was_ , especially with the way the Puppet explained the situation. After the explanation, the fox animatronic was completely on board with it's plan. Together, the two of them brainstormed ways to put you in "danger" while proving you were truly a small kind as you acted towards everyone. Finally, before Seff truly opened the pizzeria and a few other employees came to help him, the two had a solid plan. Now they just needed to tell everyone else so they would not interfere.

        As Seff made one final walk through of the building, checking that everything was in order, the Puppet slithered from room to room in the shadows, telling each animatronic what the plan would be for the next night you came in. Of course, many of the protested, but they dared not argue with the Puppet. Foxy was completely on board with the idea, and actually agreed to help. However, there was one animatronic missing, and the Puppet simply could not find hunch anywhere. Oh well. Perhaps he was sleeping. He did that a lot lately.

        Having told everyone of the plan it had formed, the Puppet quickly made its way back to the Prize Corner, snatching a special plush from behind the counter before settling inside its cozy box. Now all it had left to do was to pick out a child near the end of they day and set its plan into motion.

        One way or another, the truth would come out. If you ran and hid, the Puppet would force itself to stay awake and kill you. If you didn't, and you turned out to be truly kind? Well.....

 

 

        The Puppet would think about that later.


	7. The Setup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins.

        Nothing too exciting happened while you were at home. You had taken a shower after getting some much needed sleep, then took advantage of the wonderful weather outside and went to chill at the park. It was nice to just sit and people watch, and it was hilarious to see this one dog leap up to try and catch the Frisbee their owner threw, only to miss and get bonked on the nose and in the chest. It was a quiet afternoon, and you fully enjoyed it for a few hours...

        Until you went into work. The building was quiet as usual, but something just felt different. You passed the stage and the prize corner, waving hello to the main three before walking by BB and booping his nose again. After a quick visit to the parts and services room to say hello to the others, you strolled through the central hall and into the office, stopping when you heard quiet sniffling coming from inside.

 

        "Uh....hello?" The sniffling stopped, but you had already pinpointed where the sound was coming from. After setting your keys and phone down, you slowly crouched down to peek under the desk. A small child, no more than eight or nine, shrunk under your gaze, clutching a strange looking plushie in his arms. "Woah woah, hey! It's okay! I'm not gonna hurt you. Here..." You reached a hand out for the kid to take and watched as he slowly lifted an arm to grab it. You gently pulled him out from under the desk, only to be tackle-hugged by the crying child. With a sigh, you patted his head and returned the hug, letting him cry for a bit before asking the question on your mind. "What's your name, kid? How did you get here?" He let go of you to wipe some tears from his face, still holding that plush, and sniffled a few more times before speaking.

 

        "Muh... M-My name's Kyle..." A small sob. "I-I-I w-was- I-I was here w-with my m-mommy for my friend's, buh-" A sniffle. "B-Birthday party... A-And I-"

 

        "Okay, okay, shhh..." You pulled Kyle into another hug and rubbed gentle circles into his back, seeing as he was still very upset and could barely talk. As he cried into your shirt, you silently cursed whatever circumstances had brought this kid here. The night shift was difficult enough to deal with already, but adding a child into the mix was just cruel. It wasn't Kyle's fault, but you couldn't help the feeling of exhaustion at the thought of having to take care of him on top of keeping the other animatronics away. With a small sigh, you reached over to the desk and plucked the tablet from the top of it, using one hand to flick to the prize corner. The music box hadn't started winding down yet, and a quick peek at your phone showed you had just a little bit of time before midnight, so you glanced down at Kyle to pat his head again. "Did you get lost? Is that why you're still here?" In all honesty, you felt that there was more to this situation than just a kid getting lost, but you didn't want to think of who or what was responsible for this yet. Kyle shook his head and stepped back, wiping a few more tears from his eyes. He seemed to be calming down.

 

        "N-No... The- The Puppet thingy said I won a special prize a-and gave me this plushie..." He held up a golden bear that looked almost exactly like a recolor of the Freddy plush, save for the black eyes with white dots for pupils. Before you could comment, Kyle continued. "Then it- it asked if I wanted to p-play hide-and-seek... It said Toy Chica was seeking, a-and I said okay, and it showed me a really cool spot to hide..."

 

        "In here? Under the desk?" Kyle nodded again, and you glared at the prize corner through the camera, willing all your anger through the tablet.

 

        "T-Then it sat down with me a-and played some music and talked with me... And then, um..." Kyle looked down, his face becoming a little flustered. "Then... I-I fell asleep..." You spared another glance at the tablet(the music box was still wound) before giving Kyle a sympathetic look.

 

        "And then you woke up here? Alone?" The boy whimpered and nodded. As he wiped the last few remnants of tears from his face, you sighed inwardly. You could tell that the Puppet was up to something just by the description Kyle had given you. Why else would it lure a kid away from his parents and keep him after hours? That poor couple must be _really_ worried about their kid. Looks like you'd be taking care of the little guy until your shift was over...... Unless.....

        One more glance at the tablet showed that(oh god damn it) the music box had begun to wind down. Your shift was about to officially start. Great. Kyle was already scared, so now you had to keep him calm for six whole hours while trying to fend off however many animatronics still decided to come after you tonight. That, or get Kyle out of the building and back home before six o' clock. But how were you supposed to get him out of here? From what you recall, you didn't get Scott or Erin's home phone numbers, which you were really starting to regret, and you couldn't just abandon your station here at Freddy's to drive him home. Who knows if Gerald checks the cameras to see if you actually stayed or not?? Paranoid thinking, yes, but you didn't want to risk it. God, this was going to be hard.

 

        "Okay Kyle, uh... Lemme just..." Looking back at the tablet, you wound up the music box until it was full, then glanced back at Kyle. A thought was slowly forming in your mind, but first you had to see if Foxy was out yet..... No. He was still in the back room. In fact, a quick glance showed that no one had moved from their spots. Not a single animatronic. That was  _weird_. They might be up to something as well, meaning you'd have to be on your toes more than usual tonight. With another pause to wind up the music box, you took another look at Kyle before an idea had finally formed. "Hey buddy, it's okay. You know the animatronics would never hurt you, right?" At least, they probably wouldn't harm _children_. The same couldn't be said about adults. Thankfully, Kyle nodded, hugging the bear plush close to his chest. "That's good. See, I come here at night to watch the place and make sure no one breaks into the building, but the animatronics and I get really bored just sitting here all night, you know?" Another nod. Good, this was working. "So we all came up with a game to play. It's like hide-and-seek mixed with tag, and a few other things mixed in there! You wanna hear about it?" By now, Kyle's eyes were lighting up with curiosity instead of fear, and he nodded eagerly again.

        "Alright, here's how it goes. Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and everyone else have to try and find me. If they do, I put on this Freddy mask to trick them and make them think I'm Freddy. Does that make sense?" Another nod. "Good. Now, there are different rules for different animatronics. The mask doesn't affect Foxy, the really old one in the back room. If he finds me, I have to flash my flashlight at him to make him freeze and go away, okay? And the Puppet is different too. The mask doesn't work on it either, but it likes music, so I have to keep this music box wound up, see?" You showed the camera to Kyle, taking the chance to wind up the music box at the same time. "And I get to look through all these cameras to see where everyone is to help me. If they catch me-" Shit, what do you say to that? There was no way you could tell him what _really_ happens when they catch you. "If they manage to catch me, they try to _tickle_ me, and I have to make them stop." Yeah. Tickle. "Does that sound fun?" Kyle smiled and nodded one last time. At least he wasn't crying anymore. "Okay, good! But see, your parents are probably really worried, you know? I'm gonna have to try and get you home before I leave tonight, but...well, I _guess_ you can play with me while I do that. You have to hide whenever the others get near, and you have to do what I say, okay?"

 

        "Okay! I'm a really good listener, I promise!" Kyle's enthusiasm made you smile, but you couldn't spend any more time on this. With one more check to see if anyone had moved(Foxy and Mangle were gone, oh god), you switched the camera back to the prize corner and handed the tablet to Kyle.

 

        "I'm gonna need you to make sure this music box stays wound up, alright? Can you do that for me?"

 

        "Got it!" Giving a tiny smile, he pressed a finger to the screen and wound up the box. Good, good, this might just work. If Kyle could take care of that thing while you tried to get him to safety, things should be okay. With a deep breath, you picked up the Freddy mask and pulled it close, readying your flashlight as well. You'd have to listen for danger instead of looking on the tablet, but that should be easy. Now, how the _heck_ were you going to get Kyle out of here?? You didn't have anyone's numbers, and you couldn't leave your post, but there had to be _some_ way to get in contact with someone. You needed a lifeline, a hint, something to-

 

        _"Uh, hello? H-Hey, uh-"_

 

        Scott. You had completely forgotten about the message that always played at the start of your shift, but that didn't really help at all. It was just an answering machine, and you couldn't call him since you didn't have his.... Wait a minute. Answering machine. It was hooked up to the landline, and at the start of this year, the landline got a brand new feature, which was named-

 

        "Caller ID!" You hastily hit the mute button on the machine and tried to make sense of the buttons in order to find the caller ID. It was really strange to operate since you didn't have caller ID on your phone yet, and you could only hope that Freddy's had taken the liberty of installing it. A few more buttons were pressed, and then a list of phone numbers appeared on the tiny screen, eliciting a small groan from you. Of _course_ no names were listed. You'd just have to call back every number until Scott answered, and hopefully the other people wouldn't be too angry about being woken up this late. With a silent prayer, you hit the 'redial' button and held the phone to your ear as it rang.

 

        _"...Mhh....hello..?"_ Lady Luck was on your side tonight.

 

        " _Scott!!_ Listen, I _really_ need your help right now!"

 

      _"______? Wh- H-How does everyone keep getting my number?"_

 

        "That's not important right now! Look, I'm at Freddy's for my shift, but I need you to get over here _as soon as possible_ , okay?? There's-" You paused and glanced at Kyle to make sure he was still winding the music box, then made sure to lower your voice a little so the child wouldn't get suspicious. _"There's a kid in here with me."_

 

        _"A WHAT?"_ You cringed a bit at the volume of his voice, but continued on.

 

        "I need you to get over here so you can take him and leave. I can't keep him here all night because-"

 

        "Um, miss?"

 

        "Hold on, Kyle, I'm almost done." You lowered your voice again. "Because the animatronics are up to something, and that Puppet thing is behind it all! None of them have moved yet, and I'm pretty sure-"

 

        "Miss, this is kind of important!" Normally you wouldn't have stopped, but the tone of Kyle's voice made you a bit uneasy. With a questioning look, you glanced down at the boy, his face a little worried as he turned the tablet around to face you. "The Puppet thing is gone."

 

        "Oh my god..." Your blood turned to ice, and it took all of your willpower not to freak out. How this thing got out of it's box _with the music box wound up_ was beyond you, but it had done it, and now the thing was loose. This was very, very bad, but you had to keep calm and make sure Kyle didn't panic. After a couple seconds, you took a shaky breath and forced a small smile onto your face. "I-It's okay! Looks like it decided to make things a little more challenging this time! We'll just have to be _extra_ sneaky tonight, okay?" Thankfully the facade worked, and the worry eased of Kyle's face as he nodded. "For now, just look at all the different cameras to see where everyone's at. Can you do that for me?"

 

        "Okay, I will!" Kyle looked to the tablet, and you returned to your phone call, hearing Scott calling your name a few times.

 

        _"______? ______, what's going on? What just happened??"_ You took another breath to try and steady yourself.

 

        "....It's gone. The Puppet's gone. I don't know where it went." If Scott thought he was awake already, he _certainly_ was now after hearing those words.

 

        _"Oh- Oh jeez, o-oh no, oooohhhhhh my god."_

 

        "Please get over here, I need to get this kid out of the building before they-" A sudden screeching noise in the central hall interrupted you. While still holding the phone to your ear, you picked up your flashlight and flicked it on. Foxy was standing at the end of the hall, his hook scratching the wall and producing the screeching sound you'd heard. Great, an intimidation tactic. This was just perfect. "...Hurry." And with that, you blindly fumbled with the phone and put it back on the receiver, keeping your eyes on Foxy all the while. "That's not good for the wall, Captain!" The animatronic laughed.

 

        _"Yar, that be true, but Gerald can jus' pay t' get it fixed."_ Ugh, he had a point. Fortunately for you, Foxy soon shielded his eyes from the beam of the flashlight you were pointing at him, giving you a chance to glance down at Kyle.

 

        "How's it going, buddy? Has anyone else moved yet?" He nodded and turned the tablet around to show you an empty Kid's Cove.

 

        "The white Foxy is gone too." You gritted your teeth in frustration, trying not to curse out loud. Great, now the three animatronics you still hadn't befriended were out and about while you had this little guy to take care of.

 

        "And....the others?" Kyle looked down at the tablet again, switching between cameras to check on the other animatronics. After a moment, he looked back to you and shook his head. "Alright, thank you." You glanced up to check on Foxy, only to find that he had gone. With a small sigh of relief, you shut off your flashlight and placed it back on the desk.

        Okay, okay, just take a moment to assess the situation. There were three animatronics on the loose, all of which did _not_ like you at all. One could be heard coming due to the static she emitted and could be stopped using the Freddy head, one could be stopped with your flashlight that had _very_ limited battery, and one...was _supposed_ to be stopped with music, but it looked like that wouldn't work tonight. You didn't dare test to see if the flashlight would work and risk Kyle's life in the process, so now you had an unstoppable, quiet, and _very_ aggressive animatronic hunting you down. If it were just Foxy and Mangle that were loose, you could've stayed in the office like normal and held them off until Scott arrived, but the Puppet _knew_ you were there, and _that_ was the problem. You didn't have a way to defend yourself from it. If it knew where you were, and everything you had couldn't keep it at bay, then the only way to survive....would be to run and hide. Make it so this thing didn't know where you were. This meant you would have to go outside the comfort of your office and into the pizzeria itself.

        ...Great.

 

        "Hey Kyle, remember how I said this game was kind of like hide-and-seek?" The boy nodded. "Well, we've been here for a little while already, and we're not very hidden, so it's time to get moving. If we want to win the game, we can't stay in the same place for too long, or they'll find us again, okay?" Kyle smiled and nodded again.

 

        "Okay, miss!"

 

        "And we won't need the tablet. It's kind of dark in the rest of the building, so if we have a light on, it'll only draw attention." That wasn't something you were happy about, but that's how it had to be. You couldn't afford to let Kyle continue checking the tablet and draw attention to himself in the dark. Thankfully, he nodded and set it back on the table, picking up his plushie and cuddling it to his chest. "Alright..." You paused to think for a moment. If you went out the central hallway, there was a high chance that Foxy might already be there, and you didn't want to risk that. The vents would be your only option, and the right vent was already out because that was the one Mangle liked to come through. You _certainly_ didn't want to run into her in such a tight space, so that left only one place to go.

        "Follow me." Grabbing your flashlight and picking up the Freddy head, you turned towards the left vent and crouched down. It was a little difficult to crawl while holding something in both of your hands, but you managed well enough. The vent wasn't too long, so it didn't take very long to reach the end while you checked behind yourself every now and then to make sure Kyle was still there. Once the two of you were out, you set the Freddy head on top of your own, readying it in case you needed to pull the mask down in an emergency.

        As expected, the vent had brought the two of you to one of the party rooms. The area was coated in darkness, and as you were about to go forward, two little arms wrapped around one of your legs.

 

        "Miss.... Y-You won't let anything else scare me....will you..?" Ah, shit.  You nearly forgot that most kids were afraid of the dark.

 

        "Hey," you started, feeling around to give his head a little pat. "Everything will be okay. There's nothing else in the dark besides you, me, and the animatronics. That's why I'm here in the first place, remember? To make sure no one else gets in while we're closed." Although you couldn't see it, Kyle nodded again, letting out a small whimper. He trusted you to keep him safe now, and you didn't plan on letting him down. "Now let's keep going, okay? Maybe we can ask the older models in the back for some hints! How does _that_ sound?"

 

        "...Okay.." The boy calmed down just a little, but you slipped your hand into his own, if only to know where he was in the dark. With that, you stepped forward, moving slowly so as not to make too much noise if your leg hit something. Progress was slow, and it took about a minute to reach the doorway, but the two of you continued on. You stopped to listen for any movement before stepping into the hallway with Kyle still in tow, and leaned against the wall to help guide yourself.

        Everything was quiet for a while as the two of you went through the main hall at a snails pace. You wouldn't sacrifice safety for speed, and this actually saved you when you heard footsteps coming down the hall. You ducked down and tightened your grip on Kyle's hand as whoever it was continued forward before suddenly stopping.

 

        _"....Where th' devil did she...?"_ It was Foxy. He sounded rather confused when he spoke, and he rushed forwards into the office, completely passing by the two of you. Treading as quietly as possible, you pulled Kyle along with you as you continued feeling for something along the wall. It took a little time as you continued to glance back at the office, but finally your hand ran over the edge of a doorway, and you quickly rushed inside.

 

        "Stay here by the door and tell me if you hear anyone coming, okay?"

 

        "Okay." Feeling around in the dark once more and staying low to the ground, you continued on into the dark room until your hands ran over something a little soft. You paused for a second before continuing to feel whatever it was, gradually moving your hands upwards until you felt a familiar face and set of ears, then whispered into the darkness.

 

        "...Freddy?"

 

        _"At least buy me dinner first before feeling me up, _____."_ With a small scoff, you removed your hands from the animatronic and glanced around to see if you could spot Kyle. Nope. Nothing but the dark.

 

        "Freddy, please tell me things will be okay and that I don't have to fear for my life tonight."

 

_"I'm afraid that isn't so. The Puppet has something insidious planned for you, and from the looks of things, it's already begun to set everything in motion."_

 

        "So I was right. This thing _was_ planning something."

 

_"______, listen. No one else will be attacking you tonight, save for those who have already left their posts, but you must be careful. There's something you must know about-"_

 

        "Yeah, the Puppet already left its box. I know. Kind of a dick move, if you ask me."

 

      _"I agree, but please, listen to me. Whatever you do, stay out of sight, and don't let the boy stray from your side. There's something else here; another one of-"_ A quick shushing sound came from the doorway, and the Freddy went silent. Rapid footsteps could be heard in the hall, but they passed by quickly, allowing you release the breath you were holding.

 

        "Freddy, I have to go. If we stay here, Foxy's gonna find us, and I can't let him get Kyle before Scott gets the chance to pick him up."

 

_"Scott is coming?"_

 

        "Yeah, he's gonna get Kyle out of here while I stay and finish my shift, but first we have to make it until he gets here."

 

_"....Very well then. Please be careful, ______. I would rather you not die before I get the chance to speak with you further."_

 

        "I'll try, but Kyle takes first priority. Now I gotta go. We can't stay in one place unless we want to be found." With that, you turned and felt trough the darkness once more, finding the wall and making your way towards the doorway to grab hold of Kyle again. As you whispered directions to the child and slowly crept away, the three animatronics sat in silence, hoping desperately that you would succeed tonight.

 

_"I hope she makes it..."_

 

_"As do I, Chica. As do I."_

 

_".̸̛͡.̴̢.͏̛Ј̶ʀʀ̵͝ʛ̷͝҉ ὄ̵ẋ̶̕҉ғ͢ᾗ̶͟͜,̷͘͠ ̴̴_͘͟_̢__̶̷_͟_͢."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry for the long wait! As I said in another story of mine, Tale as Old as Ink, I went through a dry spell where I couldn't write anything for a few months, and when I finally got my inspiration back, I found myself buried under college work. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things, and I plan on working on my Undertale fanfic next, seeing as For Science is one of my more popular stories. Hopefully this chapter is enough to keep you coming back for more, so just enjoy and have fun speculating what'll happen next!
> 
> Until next time! <3


	8. ALBOK Q&A!

I APOLOGIZE, BUT NO, THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE!

However!

This is a Q&A chapter for you guys to ask me questions about your favorite story! I’m currently working on For Science, which is my Undertale story, and seeing as it won’t be done for a while, I thought I would give you all something to do while you wait! I’m posting this to ALL my stories so you can choose whichever one you like to ask questions about! Of course, there are a few simple guidelines...

1\. Please be respectful and patient. Everyone has a life outside Quotev, and I am no different, so it will take time for me to respond.  
2\. Look at what has already been asked before submitting a question. Someone may have already beaten you to the punch!  
3\. Keep the questions as on topic as possible! I will answer a few personal questions about me if I feel like it, but other than that, try to ask things pertaining to the characters or the story itself! Maybe even my methodology for writing?  
4\. No spammers, please. That just ruins the fun for everyone.

And there you have it! These are my guidelines for you, and now you are free to go ahead and ask (almost) anything you would like. So go on, go for it!

I’ll be waiting! <3


	9. Q&A 1

Alright, first Q&A! There are only a few questions, but seeing as there are questions on both Quotev and Archive of Our Own, I will be answering both sets of questions. With that out of the way, let’s begin!

 

**Quotev Questions**

        [_ιиѕαиιту мιѕѕєѕ нєя_](https://www.quotev.com/LandfillOfTrash) _What was your favorite FNaF game of the series?_

                The second one is my absolute favorite. Why do you think the story takes place in that game? :) Although, I wanted to get my feet a little wet before jumping into a story like this, so that’s where The Main Attraction comes in, but I’m very happy with how many different characters there are to portray in this story, and I’m pretty sure you guys can appreciate it too. The second game will always be my favorite, even compared to the more recent games like Sister Location and the Pizzeria Simulator <3

 

        [_SansationalReader_](https://www.quotev.com/SansationalReader) _why did you decide to write a Fnaf story?_

                It’s horror. I absolutely LOVE myself some good horror, and bear in mind, the FNaF fandom hadn’t fallen so low by the time I wrote my first FNaF story, which, may I remind you, is NOT this one. That title is reserved for [The Main Attraction (Springtrap X Reader)](https://www.quotev.com/story/6257274/The-Main-Attraction-Springtrap-X-Reader) ! It is my baby, and I will always love it. That was the starting point of my writing here on Quotev, and one of the other reasons I went with that genre was because of an author that greatly influenced me. She was my idol at the time, and she still sort of it, so I have her to thank for giving me the last little push I needed to start writing ;v;

 

        _[Serenity](https://www.quotev.com/XTheAwkwardOneX) What do you like to do in your free time?_

                I like to play games and roleplay on my roleplay account. And I like to write, of course <3

 

        _[Phara O'Hara](https://www.quotev.com/BlazingHotFire)_ _Where did the random idea for this story come from? Also, I like the way you portrayed Bonnie. He's my favourite character and I would absolutely hate you if you made him seem like a dick._

                Hm. If I remember correctly, I had just finished The Main Attraction and had no idea what to do with myself once it was done. I had worked on that for nearly two years, and suddenly it was over with, you know? What’s a girl gonna do?? Why, write another story, of course!! And FNaF always finds a way to drag me back to it, so I decided that I was comfortable enough to write a story involving my FAVORITE installation instead of just one I felt would be easier to write. More characters equals more challenge, and I didn’t want to have one or multiple romantic interests, so why not a friendship type deal? That’s really all I can remember of my thought process. Other than that, I can’t really say for sure where the idea really came from. Sorry! And don’t worry, both Bonnie’s are total sweethearts-

 

        [_ILOVEFNAF_](https://www.quotev.com/ILOVEFNAF6342) _Is it Golden Freddy? I bet it's Golden Freddy._

                There are also two other missing characters that have yet to be named. Just a little something to keep in mind ;)

 

        [_GraceNotes_](https://www.quotev.com/GraceNotes) _I love all of your works that I've read, (most of them :) you put so much work into them and I really respect that :D_

_I think someone else asked it, but what's your favorite game of the series/have you played all of the Fnaf games? (I'm a scaredy cat and only watched let's plays on YouTube lol)_

                Aaaa, someone already did ask that, sorry! But hey, thank you for the kind words! It’s always so encouraging to hear people say things like this, about how I put so much work into my writing, and it makes me want to write MORE, you know?? And don’t worry! I know plenty of people who are too scared to actually play and just do the same thing you do! It’s alright, friend. UvU

 

**Archive Questions**

_[VioletReaper](http://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletReaper/pseuds/VioletReaper)_   _Okay, I actually have 3 questions and a statement. First, the statement. Bonnie (or Whithered Bonnie in this case) is my favorite because he's purple, he's a bunny, and because he played guitar. My three favorite things rolled into one! As for the questions... 1: Puppet, why would you drag a kid into this madness? If I get killed, Kyle gets traumatized!_

_2: Foxy, what will it take to get you to trust me?_

_and 3: Whithered Bonnie, want me to fix your face and arm so you can be cute/cool again?_

                Aaaaaaaa, yes, Bonnie is great!! So many good things going for him!! >w< And your questions? The Puppet dragged Kyle into this purely to see if you’re as kind as you really are. It’s been fooled once, and it won’t be fooled again. It’s not taking any chances this time. Besides, it’s not cruel enough to kill you in front of a CHILD. What sort of monster do you think it is?? Foxy is a work in progress and will need the same confirmation that the Puppet needs. That’s why he accepted its plan so quickly, so that’s what it will take. Good luck. Oh, and no, Bonnie’s face won’t be fixed anytime soon. Or ever. And what do you mean? Is he not already cute/cool?? OmO

 

And there you have it, folks! Please stay tuned for the next chapter of A Little Bit of Kindness! And whatever you do, DON’T ask when it will be updated. If you want to know, make sure you read EVERY part of the story, INCLUDING the tag line. Thank you, and goodbye!


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